Catch Your Breath
by RachyDoodle
Summary: When Madeleine Ziggler joins her brother on the road, she expected fun, excitement and the time of her life. What she did not expect were the attentions of WWE's most dominant faction... The Shield follow her, they strangely protect her, the lunatic watches her every move. How long can she resist before she finally gives in to the temptation of the Hounds...? (Kayfabe, Ambrose/OC)
1. Little Sister

**Hello everyone, and welcome to Catch Your Breath. I am so excited to be starting my second WWE story. If you haven't already seen my other one, Irresistible, then go check it our after this!**

 **So lets get started, shall we? Enjoy!**

 **This chapter is name after 'Little Sister' by Queens Of The Stone Age**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point of View

I rushed through the cold Seattle rain, my umbrella almost falling apart in my hand, dragging my suitcase behind me. I hadn't realised the hotel was so far from the train station, and I greatly wished in that moment I'd ordered a taxi. I hurried across the busy road, the hotel in my sights.

My umbrella was in pieces, so I threw it in a nearby trashcan, knowing it was no good. I rushed into the foyer of the hotel, grateful for the dryness and the heating the building had to offer. I caught my breath a moment, many of the hotel's guest staring at the soaking wet blonde who was wringing her hair out as best as she could.

Sadly that blonde was me, so I turned, hiding my face from the starrers.

I smoothed out the frizzy mass atop of my head as best as I could, regretting wearing converse that day. The many puddles I'd ran through meant they were soaked through. I knew I needed to hurry to my brother's room in order to dry off and warm up.

I hadn't seen my brother in months. It was one of the downsides to him being on the road all the time, and being one of WWE's top wrestlers meant he was gone 300 days out of the year. But he loved what he did and that's what mattered at the end of the day.

Not to mention that fact that he was awesome at what he did. He'd been a fan favourite for years now, and I was very proud to call myself Dolph Ziggler's little sister.

I myself was still at university, working hard towards my media degree. Ever since seeing my brother on the screen, I'd wanted a job in television. The lights, the camera, it all looked so glamorous and fun and interesting. I'd worked hard for it ever since, and it was always a bonus having a sibling with his foot already in the door.

With a little talking and gentle persuasion, Dolph had managed to convince Stephanie McMahon to give me a months worth of work experience with WWE to help towards my degree. I'd almost exploded when my brother had called to tell me, my excitement off the scale. To think that I was getting an opportunity to work for one of the biggest companies in television meant the world to me.

Such experiences were not easy to come by, so I grabbed it with both hands, agreeing to join my brother on the road.

I knew the jobs wouldn't be anything special, I'd most likely be the coffee girl or a runner, but to say I'd worked for them would put me a step above the rest and look amazing on a resume.

Plus it meant I got to see Dolph, and I would do that at every chance I got. I missed my big brother. It had always been the two of us growing up so for him to be constantly away made me pine for him. It would be good catching up time and a good bonding time for us.

We both needed it.

Once I figured I looked more presentable, I grabbed my case and headed for the elevator. My brother already had my key, so I just needed to go find him and our room. I pulled out my cell phone and called him. He answered on the second ring.

"Madeleine Ziggler," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Haven't I missed you."

"Hey, Dolph," I smiled, pressing the button to call the elevator, feeling how wet my socks were as I wiggled my toes. "You never told me Seattle was so… rainy!"

"I thought it was common knowledge," he said. "You're the college girl, you should know these things."

"I have not missed your sarcasm," I laughed as the lift arrived. The door opened to reveal three men already inside. All wore wife beaters and shorts, blank looks on their faces. They looked as if they had recently been to the hotel gym, their faces a little sweaty. One had long tied back hair, his skin dark. Another had facial hair, his two toned hair tied into a bun at the nape of his neck. The last one had short brown hair, stuck to his forehead through the sweat. All were well built and I wondered if they were wrestlers.

All looked at me as the doors open, and I was a little taken aback by their stares. I swallowed, feeling very small and intimidated.

"No, but I have missed my little sister," said Dolph.

"I've missed you too, Dolph," I said, pulling my suitcase into the elevator. I struggled as I wheeled it, the little wheels getting stuck in the gap between the doors. "Fuck…" I mumbled under my breath, pulling at it in the hope the doors wouldn't close and crush my case.

"What's wrong?" my brother asked down the phone.

"Stupid case is stuck," I replied, holding my phone to my ear with my shoulder, pulling the case with all my strength. It wouldn't budge.

 _Well this isn't embarrassing, is it?!_

A hand suddenly appeared at the handle of my case, the short browned hair man pulling it free from the gap. He looked at me and handed it to me.

"Erm… thank you," I replied, offering him a smile. He merely nodded at me as the doors closed, the elevator starting to move. My smile dropped, these guys didn't seem the friendly kind.

"Did… get… free?" came Dolph's voice down the phone, the line crackling a little.

"Yes," I said, getting the basic idea of his message. "What room are you in? The signal is bad."

"I'm… room…" I could hardly understand him, knowing the signal would be awful in an elevator. I should have known better and asked him this whilst I was on the train into Seattle.

"Dolph? Dolph…?" I shouted down the phone, the three men looking at me as if I was crazy. My loud voice had filled the small space. But it was no good, the line had cut itself off.

"Great," I said, attempting to redial my brother. It was no good, the line going to voicemail each time. I sighed, putting my phone into my pocket, knowing I'd have to go back down to the main desk to ask my brother's room number.

This was just what I needed. Wet hair, wet feet, a jammed suitcase, a broken phoneline and no idea of where my brother was. Not to mention the men in this room were obviously the life and soul of any party!

"301," said the man with two toned hair.

"Huh?" I asked, breaking myself from my thoughts, looking up at him with surprise.

"Dolph Ziggler is in room 301," he said. "Third floor."

"Oh," I said, placing my hair behind my ear. "Thank you." He nodded as the darker skinned man pressed the 3 button to take me to the third floor. "Bit silly of me not to have asked him earlier really," I said, laughing lightly to make light of the situation. My laughter soon died when none of them joined in.

 _Well this isn't awkward…_

I was grateful when the lift finally stopped on the third floor. The doors opened and I barely had time to grab my case before the shorter haired man picked it up and placed it in the hallway for me, probably not wanting a repeat episode of getting it jammed again.

"Erm… thanks," I said as he re-entered the elevator, his eyes looking at me deeply as the doors closed, leaving me alone.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. The air in the elevator had been oddly tense, and it was finally nice to relax when I was finally alone. I grabbed my case and began my search for room 301.

It didn't take me long, it was fairly close to the elevator at the end of the hallway. I knocked on the door and was greeted with a huge bear-hug from my brother when he answered. He swung me round, our laughter bright.

"I've missed you, Maddie," he laughed, always using my nickname.

"Missed you too, Dolph," I replied once he'd put me down and I'd regained my balance. My brother had always been big and far too strong. He grabbed my case and we entered our room.

It was a quaint little room with two single beds and a kitchen area, a bathroom to the side. It'd do for us, and Dolph had said we were only here for a few nights anyway for Raw, Smackdown and a few live events.

I couldn't wait, I just wanted to get to the arena and get started already!

We sat on our beds, both eager to catch up.

"So how's my favourite little sister been?" he asked.

"I'm you're only sister!" I reminded him. "But I'm good. Excited to finally get started. How did you convince Steph to give me this work experience?"

"I have my ways," he said. "When you've been in this company for as long as I have, it's easier to pull in a few favours." He stood up and began to make me a drink.

"Well I'm very grateful," I said.

"What happened with your case?" he asked. "You seemed a little stressed over the phone."

"I got it wedged in the elevator," I blushed as he handed me my drink.. "It was quite embarrassing really. Luckily there were people in the elevator to help me."

"That's nice of them," he commented.

"I dunno," I said thoughtfully. "They seemed a little odd and sort of quiet. Like you could cut the tension with a knife."

He frowned. "Who were they?"

"I'm not sure. There were three of them. Sort of muscley, like they worked for WWE. A short haired one, a long haired one and one with blonde and brown hair."

He nodded knowingly. "The Shield."

The who? Ever since starting my studies at university, I hadn't really watched many matches apart from the ones my brother had fought in, and I only watched those occasionally. I wasn't really up to date with any new talent so this name was totally alien to me. I suppose it made sense that they were wrestlers as they knew just who my brother was.

"The Shield?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes. And if you have any sense you'll stay away from them, okay? They're trouble."

"Why?" I asked, looking at him curiously. What could three men have done to put my brother so on edge? I agreed that they seemed a little strange in the elevator, but they had helped me after all. Firstly my case, and then finding my brother's room. They couldn't be all bad if they were willing to help a stranger like that.

"Just promise you'll keep away, alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll keep away," I replied, rolling my eyes. The worry my brother had instilled about these guys wasn't taken lightly by me – my brother wouldn't warn me like that unless it was necessary. But the curious side wanted to find out more.

Who exactly were The Shield?


	2. Save Me

**Hello, good readers! And welcome back to Catch Your Breath. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. I have a lot planned for this story so I can't wait for you all to read it and indulge in some Shieldy goodness with me!**

 **Incase anyone was curious, I see Madeleine as Natalie Dormer when I write. Obviously you can see her however you want, but the intention is for her to look like blonde Natalie Dormer.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Save Me' by Remy Zero**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point of View

"MADDIE!"

Nikki Bella practically launched herself at me as we arrived at the arena the next night for Monday Night Raw. She threw her arms around me, embracing me in a tight hug, her twin sister laughing behind her.

"Let her go, Nikki. I bet the poor girl can't breathe."

She loosened her grip but still kept me in a hug. "Shush, Brie. It's been far too long and I've missed my little blonde bombshell!"

Dolph simply rolled his eyes behind us, shaking his head. Nikki was always very overboard, and I struggled to get my breath back as she loosened her grip.

"I've missed you too, Nikki," I laughed once she finally let me go.

I'd been friends with the Bella Twins for years, ever since Nikki and Dolph dated a while back. She was like a sister to me and in turn Brie became a great friend to me too. Even after her breakup with my brother, we still remained close and kept in contact. I loved The Bellas, they were like the sisters I'd never had. It had been months since I'd last seen them, so I couldn't wait to catch up and have a good girly gossip.

We walked into the arena, the three of us arm in arm, my brother walking ahead with his case. Knowing I'd have to report to Stephanie quite early on, he kissed my cheek and continued to his locker room, leaving me with the girls.

"So how have you been?" Nikki asked. "How's school?"

"School is good," I smiled. "About to enter my final year so I'm excited to finish everything up."

"I bet you can't wait," Brie said as we headed to their locker room.

"You're damn right I can't!" I laughed. "It's been so tough, I just want to finish and get into the real world, working in television."

"Well you're in the right place to help with that," Nikki said, opening the locker room door. We all entered. "How Dolph got you experience in this place, I'll never know."

"Hey, they employed Summer Rae, they'll employ anyone," Brie said, all of us bursting into laughter.

"I don't know either," I said as the twins prepared their ring outfits, laying everything out. "But I couldn't turn it down. I don't care what job Stephanie gives me, at least I got to say I worked in WWE."

"True enough," said Nikki. "You did good, girl."

I nodded, looking down at my watch. "I'll have to catch up with you ladies later, I'm due to meet Steph in 10 minutes."

"Well a few of us are going for drinks after Raw tonight, why don't you join us and we can talk then?" asked Brie.

I placed my hair behind my ear nervously. "Maybe…"

I wasn't sure. I'd always been quite nervous in big crowds, especially ones where I knew nobody. There were a lot of wrestlers for WWE and I only knew three of them. So big clubs full of strange people did not sound appealing to me. I was far more comfortable curled up in a blanket with a hot chocolate and a good book.

"Come on," pleaded Nikki. "I've missed you, we seriously need to catch up and have a dance."

"I'll think about it, okay?"

"Alright," she sighed, knowing that was the best I was going to offer them right now. I'd see how the evening went first, and then go from there. I knew I'd have The Bellas and my brother there, but I still wasn't certain about going out just yet.

I hugged them farewell, wishing them luck on their matches tonight, and headed out in search of the boss.

I found Steph's office quite easily, knocking gently on the door. When I entered, I was greeted by the woman I'd seen on TV so many times before. She was tall, well presented and so beautiful. I wasn't embarrassed to admit I was slightly star struck. She invited me inside.

"So your brother says you're very eager to take on some work," she enquired as we sat at her desk.

"Yes," I said nervously as I took a seat, playing with my fingers in my lap. "It'll help greatly towards my final exam and my degree."

"Well we are always happy to help in such situations, and Dolph has done so much for the company over the years, it was hard to turn him down. He says you're very enthusiastic."

"Oh, yes," I nodded, trying to seem as eager as I could under the nerves.

"Well for tonight I'm going to give you probably not the most exciting job," she explained. "Until we know how you work and where exactly to put you, we'd like you to be a runner for the talent tonight. Simple things like fetching them water, coffee, towels. It's not glamorous, but it's only for tonight. We'll see how you go, how the wrestlers react around you, and then give you a better and more exciting position after I've talked it over with my husband."

I nodded, knowing this made sense. "That's fine. Thank you, Mrs McMahon."

She stood and shook my hand with a smile. "Glad to have you onboard. Now go out there and show me what you can do."

xXx

My job was… interesting to say the least that night.

Fandango had been the first person I'd served, the guy simply wanting a bottle of water. However I did not want the endless flirting that followed. I rolled my eyes in disgust at the man, as he offered to show me his dance moves, knowing I wanted to be nowhere near him.

Bad News Barrett had been next, asking for a towel to polish his King Of The Ring crown, and he had been nothing but pleasant, his British manners really shining through. Naomi too had been lovely enough as well, complementing my skater-dress when I'd delivered her some water.

We were about half way through the show when I spotted Nikki and her boyfriend John Cena walking down the corridor, his face sweaty from his match. Nikki greeted me excitedly when I approached them.

"Did you see him? Did you see how awesome John's match was?" she smiled. That's one thing I admired about Nikki – the complete and utter love and adoration she had for her man

"Afraid not," I said. "I've been a busy bee tonight."

"Steph got you working hard?" she asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "But I don't mind, I want to make a good impression."

"Good girl," said Cena. I knew he was a man who always liked a person with a good work ethic. "Would it be too much to ask for a coffee and a bottle of water?" he asked. "That match took it out of me."

"Of course," I grinned.

"Fantastic. Black, two sugars," he smiled.

"We'll be in my locker room," Nikki finished.

I hurried off to the canteen, picking up his order.

I had to say, as tough as all the running round was, I was enjoying myself. The wrestlers had all been so nice and welcoming that I was certainly coming round more to the idea of going out with everyone after the show. I could see why my brother liked working for these people and why he called so many of them his best friends. A night out with these people sounded like just what I needed.

I placed John's drinks on a tray and carried them carefully through the corridors, many super-stars greeting me along the way.

A small group sat towards the end of the corridor, laughing amongst themselves. I recognised a few of them from TV, the group including The Miz, Sheamus and Stardust. I saw them look at me and snigger, but I thought nothing of it, my mind focused on bringing John his drinks.

That was until Sheamus stood and nudged into me with his elbow as I passed them, laughing at me.

I gasped as the tray tipped, the cup flying and covering me in warm coffee, the water falling to the floor. The corridor went silent apart from their laughs, my body frozen to the spot, my mouth open in shock. I slowly stared down at my dress that was now covered in a huge coffee stain, my chest heaving as I caught my breath, my feet stuck to the floor.

 _Oh god… oh god…_

"Welcome to WWE, darling'," Sheamus laughed as I felt tears build in my eyes, his friends laughing too.

I didn't know what to do. A part of me wanted to punch him in the face and ask him what the fuck that was about. A part of me wanted to fetch my brother and let him deal with the idiots. But the larger part of me wanted to burst into tears and cry my heart out. I knew these men were bullies, but I never honestly thought they'd do it to a woman who was on her first day on the job. I was just grateful the coffee wasn't too hot.

Now I was just stood there, shaking, my clothes wet and my tears threatening to spill down my cheeks.

I closed my eyes, fighting the tears back. Only what I saw when I opened them, I did not expect.

The three of them were looking at me, their eyebrows furrowed. I recognised them immediately as the men from the elevator the previous day, my brother's words ringing in my head…

The Shield.

They were dressed all in black, each wearing boots, cargo pants and special ops vests. They seemed far more intimidating in their ring gear and I could see immediately why my brother had warned me away. Together they looked daunting, menacing, tough.

I looked at them and they looked at me and I knew they recognised me too. They looked around, seeing the stain on my dress, the tray on the floor, the tears in my eyes. The laughter of the heels around me got louder, the three of them in turn looking towards where they sat. The tall dark skinned one approached me, my body seizing up in fear.

"Did they do this?" he simply asked.

I nodded quickly, too scared and upset to talk.

The three of them suddenly surrounded me, facing Sheamus and acting, ironically, like a shield to protect me.

Within seconds the dark skinned one and the one with blonde and brown hair had Sheamus against the wall by his throat, their jaws tense, their muscles flexed. The short haired one chased his friends away, The Miz and Stardust too cowardly to stick around.

"You think it's funny to attack a woman like that?" seethed the blonde and brown haired man. "You think it's amusing to bully her?"

Sheamus shook his head, his face red. You could tell he was scared. "No, she's a newbie… I…"

The dark skinned man threw him against the wall with force, the noise causing me to jump. "Where's all your courage gone now, big man? You want to pick on someone, pick on us. Never upset a woman like that."

I swallowed as I watched, gasping as the short haired man drew near me, looking me up and down. He could see the fear in my eyes, approaching me cautiously. He slowly unzipped the black sleeveless hoody he was wearing over his vest and took it off, wrapping it round me. I slipped my arms through and allowed him to zip it up for me.

"Can't have you walk around with a stained dress, can we, little lady?" he said, offering me a smirk before turning to his friends, a terrified Sheamus standing there quivering.

"Shit! Lily!" I heard Brie cry down the corridor and she came running towards me, wrapping an arm around me. "Are you alright?"

I didn't answer, I was far too busy watching The Shield do their thing, the short haired man finally standing nose to nose with the Irishman. His jaw was tense, his body twitchy as if he were on edge. I could have sworn I heard him growl, but it could have been the sound of the Raw show continuing in the background. He spoke menacingly, threateningly, darkly.

"You leave her be, or we show you what the Hounds Of Justice can really do. You're just a chew toy to us, buddy. A piece of meat for us to play with. And you know what hounds do to pieces of meat? We rip them up, shred them, tear them apart. Go near her one more time and I'll take great pleasure in testing that theory."

Sheamus didn't think twice as the dark skinned man put him down, he simply ran, not looking back.

The Shield turned to look at me, Brie tightening her hold on me protectively, pulling me close against her.

"You okay now, sweetheart?" asked the blonde and brown haired man.

I nodded, leaning into my friend's safe arms.

"She'll be fine," Brie answered for me. "I've got her. Thank you, Dean, Roman, Seth." She nodded at each in turn as she said their name. it let me know who each member was.

All three nodded their approval, Dean's eyes lingering on me before they turned and walked away, ready for their match.

I let out a deep breath, visibly relaxing as Brie turned me to face her, giving me a look over to check I was okay. "What the hell happened?" I simply unzipped the sleeveless hoody, alerting her to the stain on my dress.

"Sheamus," I said.

"What a dick," she mumbled. "I'll take you back to our locker room, Nikki or I will have something you can change into."

She ushered me away through the arena and we entered their locker room, John and Nikki staring at us in confusion as we opened the door.

"Maddie, you okay? Whats going on?" Nikki queried.

"They decided to pick on the newbie," Brie informed her, sorting through her suitcase, searching for a dress for me. "I swear to god, the mentality of some of the talent here. It's ridiculous."

"Oh, Maddie," said Nikki sadly, rubbing my arm soothingly.

I simply sat down, reliving everything in my head, my mind focused on my three saviours.

I didn't get it.

How could these men be as volatile and dangerous as my brother was making out? This was the second time in two days they had come to my rescue. An enemy would not do that, a bad person would not stand up to someone in a stranger's defence and almost make the person die of fright. I had to admit, their methods were a little unorthodox and threatening, but at the end of the day I was in trouble and they helped.

Terrible people don't do that. Terrible people either leave you to suffer or aid the suffering. They do not enter like knights in shining armour and save the helpless damsel in distress.

I wasn't sure if they had upset my brother in the past, but they were certainly helping me in the present.

I slid my hands into the hoody pockets, relishing its warmth, noticing the manly scent that surrounded it. I breathed it in.

They were so mysterious, their black ring gear and they way they could turn up out of nowhere making them seem puzzling and mystifying, like shadows lurking, ready to pounce. Each man alone was terrifying enough, but together as a team they were intimidating beyond belief. They commanded the room and the situation the moment they entered it. Sheamus never had a chance.

"Here!" came Brie's voice, breaking me from my thoughts. "How's this?"

She handed me a black sleeveless dress and I gazed at it. It was lovely, tight fitting and sleek. It wasn't my usual taste but considering I had very little else to wear, I knew I'd have to settle for it. "It's perfect, thanks, Brie."

"Well it's better than anything Nikki has. You wear her dresses and your boobs will be hanging out."

"Hey!" shouted Nikki. "My dresses are sophisticated and chic."

"And leave very little to the imagination," added Brie.

At that moment, Dolph burst through the door in a panic, his wide eyes searching for me. As soon as he spotted me he threw his arms around me in a warm embrace. "What the fuck happened? Cesaro told me there had been an incident."

"I'm fine," I said, trying to pull away from my brother to relax him. "It's all been sorted. Just a little incident with Sheamus. No need to worry."

"I'm your brother, of course I worry." He noticed the stain on my dress, his anger showing. "Did he do this?" I nodded, as his jaw tensed. "I'll fucking kill him!"

"Dolph, no. It's-"

But I was cut off as he noticed the hoody wrapped around my body. "Where did you get that?"

"Dean Ambrose," said Brie. "The Shield intervened."

"The Shield?" he frowned. "What the fuck were they doing getting involved?"

"Don't get so mad, Dolph, they stopped him," I said. "They helped me." I couldn't help the tiny smile that appeared on my lips.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I told you to stay away from them, they're dangerous men, Madeleine."

"They didn't seem dangerous to me," I said sternly. I had to defend my protectors. "Quite the opposite. They were quite helpful actually. Sheamus won't be coming near me anymore."

"Maddie…" he said angrily, gritting his teeth. "Stay away from them!"

I knew he wasn't happy but he could not be mad at them or me. They had fucking saved me from a bunch of bullies and I for one was insanely thankful to them. And I knew they wouldn't be a danger to me like my brother was making out. These men were good men, I knew it.

"Hey, why don't we let this drop?" intervened John, sensing the tension in the room. "Madeleine is safe and the show is over. We have a fun night out to look forward to so why don't we shower, get ready and go enjoy ourselves?"

Dolph nodded at this, the older man's words calming him. He dropped the argument. "Fine."

I nodded in agreement, not wanting to get into a fight with my big brother. We let it lie, both going our separate ways to change for the night.

I'd never seen my brother so annoyed before. He was so protective, and I loved that. But he was going to extremes. The Shield had not hurt me, and I know they never would. The way they berated Sheamus for teasing a woman showed me I would never be on the receiving end of their threats.

But the way Brie had held me protectively during the incident also got my mind thinking. Had she too sensed a danger about them? They obviously knew these men better than I did, so they knew more of what went on in WWE. Yet on the two occasions I had met these men, I had seen nothing but good from them.

Dean… Roman… Seth…

They had not showed me any danger. In fact all they had done was make me more intrigued than ever…

* * *

 **A huge thank you to** **WWEaholicTwlightaholic** **and** **raaeebrucee** **for reviewing the first chapter. I love hearing feedback from my readers, so don't forget to leave me a few words. Favourite and follow!**

 **Don't forget to check out Irresistible, my other WWE story too.**


	3. Savior

**Hello!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath. I hope you're enjoying it so far, I'm loving writing it. There are plenty ideas for this story so I cant wait to share them with you as the story continues. I think you're gonna like it.**

 **On with the show!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Savior' by 30 Seconds To Mars**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I clung tightly to my brother's arm as we made our way down to the bar after the show. We'd calmed down from our argument and agreed to disagree, knowing we were a lot more important to each other than a silly argument.

All of us had showered and changed, Brie's dress clinging to my body as I wore it. It wasn't my usual choice in clothing, but even I had to admit I looked good. The black material hugged my skin, showing off my flat stomach and all my curves. I'd paired it with my own black heels that I'd worn to Raw. I had my bag too, carrying some money, some makeup and my cell phone. The hoody Dean Ambrose had given me was tucked in there too; I knew I'd have to return it to him the next time I saw him.

"Girl, you look smokin' hot!" giggled Nikki as we walked down the street. The bar was only a few blocks from the arena so it made sense to walk. "All the guys will be looking at that booty tonight."

"A guy seriously does not need to hear that about his sister," noted Dolph, his nose scrunching in disgust. I laughed, holding on to his arm tighter.

"Maddie is growing up now, Dolph," said Nikki. "The girl is almost 23."

I knew Dolph still thought of me as the little girl with pigtails who he used to protect at school when we were younger, but Nicole was right. I was 22 years old and the dress looked fucking hot! I was a woman now, not some little girl who played with dolls and had imaginary tea parties with her teddy bears.

I swallowed nervously as we reached the bar, seeing how busy it was when we stepped inside. Music filled the room along with many voices, people either dancing or in deep conversation. I could see a lot of the WWE roster, some at the bar, others seated at tables, a few enjoying the music on the dance floor. I held onto my brother's arm tighter as the five of us walked further in.

We got drinks from the bar, several superstars stopping Dolph to talk and chat. I recognised R-Truth and Ryback from my years watching the show before school. But new guys greeted him too, my brother later informed me they were called Neville and a guy from NXT called Hideo Itami. I greeted them with anxious smiles as we took our drinks and walked to a table that was occupied by Brie's husband, Daniel Bryan. She kissed him sweetly and we all took our seats.

I gazed around, the room warm and dark and loud. I saw Bad News Barrett chatting to Paige at the bar whilst Summer Rae and Alicia Fox got down on the dance floor. It was very intimidating as I sat there surrounded by so many famous and cool people. I just sipped idly on my glass of wine.

"That dress does look fantastic on you," said Brie as the men talked about football. I blushed. "You can keep it if you like. You wear it better than I do."

"That's because Maddie has the boobs to fill the dress, Brianna," giggled Nikki as she took a drink of her Cosmopolitan.

"At least ours are real, Nikki," smirked Brie. "None of that fake stuff you're packing."

"These were worth every penny," Nikki said proudly, squeezing her cleavage together a little. "You're just jealous."

The silly argument the girls were having faded into the background as I turned my headto look around. My eyes widened as I saw _them_ walk through the door into the bar.

They were no longer in their black ring gear, each opting for a pair of jeans and top. Roman wore a black t-shirt, Seth wore a grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, whilst Dean chose to wear a white t-shirt and black leather jacket.

 _Erm… wow…_

Even in a place as busy as this they commanded the room, a few people turning to look at them as they entered. They were truly an intimidating team and my mouth went dry at the mere sight of them. I took another sip of my wine, this sip larger than the previous ones.

"Bryan prefers natural anyway," said Brie's voice faintly. "Not plastic."

"But plastic is fantastic," added Nikki.

I watched as The Shield made their way to an empty booth at the far side of the bar and sat down, a waitress coming to take their drink order and writing it down on her notepad. The waitress left and they began to talk amongst themselves. What they said, I did not know due to the loud music and distance between our two tables.

I jumped a little however as Dean's eyes scanned the room, quickly landing on me. I didn't move as he gazed at me, a smirk slowly snaking onto his lips. I just stared intently, hypnotised, until Brie's voice suddenly broke me from my reverie.

"Huh? What?" I said in confusion, turning away from The Shield and looking at my friends.

"I was asking if you wanted to go dance," she laughed. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm good," I smiled.

"Who's got Maddie all flustered?" Nikki asked, looking in the direction my gaze had been, craning her neck to look around.

"No one! Erm, sure, lets go dance," I said standing up. I, in no way, wanted to dance. But if it got The Bellas off my case then I was willing to do anything. Especially Nikki. If Nikki knew something was up, she would not let it go until she found out everything that she could.

We walked out onto the dance floor and began moving our bodies and shaking our hips to the music. It was helping me loosen up a little and before long I was really getting into it, slowly enjoying myself. I twirled a few times, my eyes betraying me and looking in the direction of The Shield on occasion.

His eyes were glued to me… every single time.

My heart pounded, a part of me excited by the attentions, but another part was worried. My brother would not be happy, and the potential danger he thought they would bring to me could be a argument had only proven that. As nice as these guys seemed to me, the rest of the locker room saw their darker side, their scarier side, their more threatening side. Was it really a good thing that this group were giving me their attention?

In the long run, probably not.

I turned back to my friends, dancing our way through four more songs. I was getting tired and slightly warm from the constant moving and the amount of bodies around us. After the next song I approached Nikki, talking as best as I could over the loud songs.

"I'm just popping outside, I need some air," I said.

"Alright, but hurry back. This is fun," she replied.

She gave me a kiss on the cheek and I made my way through the dancing crowd and out of the door. The cold night air hit me like a wave of freshness as I stepped outside and I took a deep breath. I hadn't realised how warm it was until I'd walked onto the street, grateful for the relief it brought.

I rested back against the brick wall of the bar, closing my eyes and enjoying the cold.

It was what I needed right then, not only to cool me down but calm me down. The anxiety of going to the filled bar coupled with the confusion over Dean Ambrose's staring was making my head go stir crazy. I needed the quietness and the solitude to get my head round everything and get my thoughts into gear.

"Well hello there, pretty lady?" came a voice. I opened my eyes and looked up to see two men looking down at me. Both were tall, one with a long ginger beard and the other a long black one. Both looked dirty and like a couple of hillbillies.

"Excuse me?" I asked, backing away slightly. I'd seen them occasionally at the arena and knew them to be called Luke Harper and Erik Rowan.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing out alone on a cold night like this?" Harper asked me, Rowan simply looking at me with his head tilted.

"Oh, I was just heading back in," I said nervously, waiting for a gap so I could run back inside to my brother. These guys were beyond creepy and I did not like the looks they were giving me.

Harper licked his lips and stalked towards me. "Well I can escort you in if you like, pretty lady."

"That's, uh, that's okay," I said, backing away more, my legs poised and ready to head for the door.

"Why not?" asked Rowan, Harper's hand coming forward to grab me.

"Because she's with me," came a voice. An arm snaked around my shoulder, pulling me towards a body. I looked up to see Dean Ambrose glaring at the two ex members of the Wyatt Family. "So she's okay. Thanks for the offer though, guys. But you can go on your way."

I was in too much shock to move, I just stared at him wondering why the fuck he was here and how the fuck he had found me.

Harper backed away, Rowan following suit. "Looks like the pretty lady is taken care of for tonight." He tapped his friend's arm and the pair walked slowly down the street, out of sight.

Dean let out a little growl before letting me go and looking at me. "You really do get yourself into trouble a lot don't you, kid. It's like it follows you around." He gave a light chuckle.

"How did you know I was out here?" I asked.

"I didn't. Just needed a smoke and saw you had some unwanted company," he replied, pulling a cigarette out and placing it between his lips to light it.

"I had it covered you know," I said.

"Course you did," he said, taking a drag, smoke coming from his mouth. He leaned back against the brick wall. "Looked like it too."

My eyes narrowed, not liking his cocky attitude. Yeah the man had saved me, but he was acting like an ass about it. I wondered if this other side of The Shield Dolph had warned me about was finally emerging.

"I'm not some damsel in distress you know." I frowned.

"Just because your brother is Dolph Ziggler, it doesn't mean you fight like him. A simple thank you will suffice, sweetheart," he said, taking another drag. I stared at him, open mouthed.

 _What the fuck?!_

"You're very humble," I said with exasperation. "And my brother has taught me plenty, thank you. I can defend myself."

"Well next time I'll let the big scary men carry you away then."

"So you'd leave an innocent woman in the hands of those two?"

"Hey, you were the one who said you could defend yourself and that you had it covered."

I tensed my jaw, extremely annoyed. "What a dick," I mumbled under my breath.

He smiled, but noticing my annoyance came towards me. "Look, I didn't mean to offend you. I saw you were in trouble and I know what Harper and Rowan are like. I couldn't leave you alone with them. Plus it's fun to save pretty girls."

I folded my arms, my annoyance relaxing a little at his admission. "You did help…"

"I try," he smirked, finishing his cigarette and throwing it on the floor, stamping it out.

I sighed. "Well, thank you, I guess."

"Anytime," he said, his voice turning suddenly serious. "Just watch out for those guys, okay? They aren't pleasant. Be careful and keep away."

 _He's beginning to sound like my brother!_

"I'll bear that in mind," I said, rolling my eyes.

He turned to go back inside, the memory of his hoody suddenly coming to mind. I needed to return it after all and now was as good a time as any.

"Hey! Wait!" I said, rummaging round in my bag.

He stopped and turned to look at me questioningly. "What is it?"

I pulled the folded up clothing out and held it out to him. "I just wanted to give you your hoody back."

He looked down at it, then back at me, a smirk on his lips. "Keep it. It looked far hotter on you than it does me anyway." He gave me a wink before heading back inside, leaving me extremely flushed, my cheeks a bright red.

I pulled the hoody against my chest, my confusion greater than ever. He had saved me, annoyed me and made me feel pretty, all in one conversation. How he'd managed it, I didn't know but I'd felt every emotion I could in just a few short minutes.

Dean Ambrose was one confusing individual, an enigma, a question mark.

Just who was he?

* * *

 **Many thanks to** **WWEaholicTwlightaholic, Lilygirl95** **and my guest reviewer for reviewing the last chapter. I love hearing your feedback so don't forget to leave me a few words. Cheers!**

 **Also don't forget to check out my other WWE story, Irresistible.**


	4. With You In My Head

**Welcome back, everyone!**

 **I'm taking a little poetic license with this story and the whereabouts that its set. I'm setting it during the current roster as we're seeing it on TV from around last year up to now, apart from the fact The Shield are still together. Wrestlers change from heel to face and vice versa so much that its hard to keep up sometimes, especially if you want to write characters a certain way in stories. So I'm doing the best I can.**

 **This chapter is named after 'With You In My Head' by UNKLE.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I didn't return to a WWE show until the following Raw, Steph kindly giving me the Smackdown taping off due to the problems I'd faced with Sheamus. I had to admit, I was quite pleased. It gave me time to calm down, get my head round it, and build the confidence to come back after all that had happened.

A part of me wanted to just walk away and not deal with the pathetic bullying I'd experienced. But that's just what it was – pathetic. It was childish and sad, and I refused to let it affect me. I wasn't going to let some stupid man ruin my dream to work in TV and blow the biggest opportunity I'd ever had.

Plus after the story Brie had told me about Nikki cornering the Irishman and giving him what for backstage at Smackdown, I knew I wouldn't have to worry anymore. If I thought The Shield were scary, Nikki Bella was ten times more petrifying!

So I'd spent the majority of the week either catching up with Dolph and The Bellas, or sitting in a hotel room, working on essays. Just because I was with the WWE for a short time did not mean I could slack on my school work. It was more important now more than ever and I had to keep my studies up if I had any hopes of passing at the end of the year.

Yet spending the time away from WWE for the week meant I'd also managed to avoid Dean Ambrose and his constant staring, something I was saddened by, yet happy about. He was a strange individual to understand. He'd save me one moment, then argue with me the next. He'd compliment me yet insult me in a single sentence. I couldn't work out if he was friend or foe.

I'd only met him a few times and he was hardly a major part of my life, so for now it didn't matter. He was just some guy at work and that was it. The less I thought about him and The Shield, the better. My brother would be more than happy to know I was thinking that way. His worry about them and I had not died down. He knew the dangers they brought, the way they had beaten down on many superstars. He was looking out for me, that was all.

Steph greeted me as I arrived at the arena, apologising profusely for Sheamus's behaviour.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Ziggler, it will not happen again," she insisted. "Talent does not normally act like that."

"Thank you, Mrs McMahon," I said.

"As an aplogy, I'd like to offer you a free seat tonight to watch the show live, really get to experience the action first hand."

This was surprisingly something I'd never done, which was weird considering my brother had been with the company for a number of years. It would be helpful to see the company at its best, and I always loved watching Dolph wrestle. So to see it for real would be a treat.

"That would be wonderful!" I exclaimed happily.

She apologised again and gave me my ticket for the show. I left my suitcase in my brother's locker room and made my way to the seats eagerly.

I had a fantastic view. I wasn't far from ringside and had a seat right by the stairs, a few rows from the front. It meant I could make a quick getaway backstage when the show was finished.

The stands slowly began to fill with excited crowd members everyone enthusiastic to see the show. Some had signs, many wore t-shirts and almost everyone had some form of merchandise. I smiled proudly, spotting all the Dolph Ziggler and Bella Twin t-shirts on show. They really were fan favourites.

The lights died down and the crowd cheered as the show finally got underway. I sat on the edge of my seat, excitement filling my body as match after match played out, each one as brilliant as the last. I cheered loudly as Nikki and Brie came out for a tag team match against Emma and Summer Rae, the twins winning easily, taking in every ounce of applause they were given.

Next came a match between Stardust and R-Truth before familiar music filled the arena. I stood and cheered with all my heart as Dolph came out, the crowd really on his side for his match against The Miz. After his laughing at my misfortune with Sheamus the week before, I really wanted my brother to kick the idiot's ass.

He did not disappoint, Dolph hitting punch after punch, hit after hit, getting The Miz with the Zig-Zag before pining him 1-2-3. The crowd erupted, clearly pleased with the outcome, and I could not have been more prouder in that moment. My brother worked his ass off every night and the reaction he got proved all the work was paying off. They loved him, and I could not have been any happier.

It was almost the end of the show, The Authority coming down to the ring after my brother had left. Stephanie was a lovely woman backstage but when she came out with The Authority, she was cold, harsh and cruel. It was crazy how a woman could change her persona so suddenly like that. It was a little unnerving. She entered the ring with her husband, Randy Orton, Batista and Kane, smirks on all their faces. The crowd booed, and rightly so as they voiced off about their power, their control, and their absolute supremacy, Daniel Bryan's name a constant mention. I knew Brie would be pissed backstage, but what could anyone do over such a power group?

And then their music hit…

 _Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield_

The crowd went wild as I followed their eyes and looked at the top of the staircase. There they stood, the three of them looking as fearsome and intimidating as ever. I watched intently as they all made their way down the steps, Seth leading, followed by Dean and finally Roman. The audience patted them as they walked past, showing their support and giving their love. The Authority did not look pleased.

They looked ready for a fight as they made their way down, Dean's smirk getting bigger as he spotted me in my seat, watching them. He didn't take his eyes off me as he walked, giving me a wink as he passed me. I blushed and I knew he'd seen it, a chuckle coming from his mouth. They all hopped over the barricade, entering the ring for a face off.

The Authority didn't last long, The Shield attacked almost immediately, Dean going for Orton, Seth aiming for Batista and Roman fighting off with Kane. Triple H pulled Stephanie from the ring and they slowly made their way up the ramp, watching as The Shield decimated the opposition. All three Authority members were on their backs outside the ring, The Shield having total control. Stephanie began shouting wildly as their music hit again, The Shield taunting her and Triple H. The audience loved it, cheering and shouting wildly for the faction.

I couldn't help but smile. They were certainly entertaining and put on one hell of a show, their brotherhood showing as they stood in the middle of the ring, the cameraman focusing on their fists, all together and united. They had quite a presence.

Once they'd milked their applause and vacated the stage, the lights went up, a very happy audience slowly making their way out.

The show was fantastic, better than anything I could have imagined. It really did help seeing it all first hand, and gave me a definite flavour for the company I'd be working for over the next few weeks. I'd enjoyed each and every moment, wanting to watch it live again and again every single week. It really got the adrenaline going. Seeing Dolph, seeing the twins… I couldn't wait to work for WWE.

Once enough people had gone, I picked up my bag and slowly headed out, excited to meet my brother backstage. I couldn't wait to tell him what I thought of his match. He was so wonderful out there. I walked to the double doors, immediately stopped by a security guard.

"Staff and talent only, miss," he said. "I'm going to need to see your pass."

I nodded and looked in my bag for the backstage pass I'd been given to let him know I was staff and was allowed back there. I rummaged… and rummaged… and rummaged. It wasn't there. It was in… my suitcase, which was back in Dolph's locker room.

"Fuck…" I whispered to myself. I looked back up at the security guard, knowing I needed a plan B to get to the locker rooms. "I don't have it right now, but if I can just fetch my brother, he'll vouch for me."

I began walking towards the doors confidently, the security guard putting his arm out to block me. "No can do. Staff and talent only. I can't let you back there."

I frowned angrily. "But I am staff. And my brother is part of the talent. If I can just go get him, I-"

"No pass, no entry. Now leave before I have to escort you out!"

Goddamn it! Now what the fuck was I going to do? Me and my stupid actions! Why did I leave my pass in my fucking suitcase?! I felt like an utter idiot. I just knew I needed to get back there and find someone. If I could get Dolph or Nikki or Brie to explain who I was, then there wouldn't be a problem.

"Just let me fetch my brother, please," I pleaded. "He's Dolph Ziggler, he can explain that this is just a mix up."

"Dolph Ziggler? I bet he is," the security guard said mockingly. "I won't tell you again, miss. Leave now or I'll throw you out myself."

"But-"

"Don't worry, she's with us," came the voice of a blonde and brown haired man. I sighed and turned to see Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns standing behind me. They were changed and showered, all wearing t-shirts and jeans.

 _How the fuck does he always know where I am?_

It was beginning to get weird now, his constant appearances at the first sign of trouble. I didn't know if he thought himself some white knight riding in on a horse to help me, but I was a grown fucking woman who could take care of herself!

 _Yeah, a grown fucking woman without a backstage pass…_

My subconscious had a point. Dean Ambrose was a slight pain in the ass, but if he could get me backstage right now, I guess I wasn't going to stop him.

"Miss Ziggler just left her pass elsewhere," explained Roman as Dean placed a hand on my shoulder. "We can vouch for her."

"Of course," the security guard said brightly, putty in their hands. He was clearly a fan. They showed him their passes and he opened the door immediately. "Right this way, gentlemen. Great show tonight, by the way."

The Shield simply smirked as we walked through the door. I glared at the security guard as he shut the door behind us. I got nothing but one word from the hounds and his inner fan-boy came out. Amazing what you can do when you know the right people.

"If we have to help you out one more time, we're going to start charging you," smirked Seth, Roman chuckling. Dean said nothing. In fact he'd said nothing the whole time.

"Thank you yet again," I said. "You really helped me out this time."

It was true, I had to admit it. Without their sudden appearance there would have been no way I'd have got backstage. My brother could take his time getting ready after a show, and since we were driving onto the next city straight away, I would have had to stand outside waiting. They had really come at the best time. As much of a dick as he had been to me outside the bar, he'd seriously come to my aid this time.

"No problem, sweetheart," replied Seth. "Just always keep your pass on you. We might not be near next time."

"I'll bear that in mind," I said as they turned to leave, Dean staring as they walked down the corridor. He stopped and winked before heading round the corner, out of sight.

I let out a breath, my shoulders relaxing.

That man was as confusing now as the day I'd met him. We'd never really spoken, I knew nothing about him, he was just a guy my brother worked with and I could count on one hand the times we'd had any interaction.

Yet he was always there, always watching, always appearing when I needed someone the most. He was cocky, brave, and very full of himself. He had a confidence that was hard to match, but also a sweet side, as proven by his giving me his hoody during the Sheamus incident.

So why the silence now his brothers were around?

Dean Ambrose made my head hurt.

I simply shook my head, hurrying to Dolph's locker room as quickly as I could. I wanted to get out of the arena and head straight to the hotel. I wanted a bed so I could lie down and let my head rest.

* * *

 **Thank you to** **raaeebrucee** **and my 2 guest reviewers for your kind words about the last chapter. Don't forget to favourite, follow and reviews, folks! It's all greatly appreciated.**


	5. Dance Dance

**Hey, y'all!**

 **Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I am bloody loving writing it. Its so much fun and its very easy to write about Dean Ambrose haha! Lets get on with it, shall we?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Dance Dance' by Fall Out Boy**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

As soon as we had driven to the next state and settled into our hotel room, Nikki and Brie had decided to host what they called 'Girls Night.' This essentially consisted of the majority of the Divas division going out on the town for lots of drinks, plenty dancing and a generally good time.

Not really warming to the idea, I argued the point that I was not a WWE Diva and therefore couldn't go on the night out. But Nikki, as always, had an answer.

"You're an honorary diva," she smirked. "And being related to Dolph makes you a Diva by default."

I sighed knowing there was no way I was getting out of this. I had to just man up, embrace it, and force myself to have a good time.

I waited for Dolph to go to dinner with some of his fellow superstars before I started to get myself ready. I showered and changed, choosing a dark blue strapless dress that showed off my best assets. The colour worked perfectly with my blonde hair which hung in waves along my shoulders and down my back. I wore black heels and went for a smoky eye and bold red lip. I knew how beautiful the Divas were, I had to compete somehow.

I took one last look at myself in the mirror, checking myself over before I left, happy with how I looked.

Keeping my little purse on my shoulder, I met the girls down in the hotel foyer. Brie and Nikki hugged me when they saw me, introducing me to Natalya, Naomi, Cameron, Eva Marie, Alicia Fox and Paige. They all seemed lovely, even if I did retreat a little in shyness.

"Don't worry, we'll look after you," said Brie in comfort. She held my hand and squeezed it as we all made our way outside, jumping in taxis.

It didn't take us long to make it to the town, the streets busy, filled with other clubbers and party goers. The atmosphere was electric, everyone happy, excited and somewhat drunk. We hopped out of the cars, rushing into the club to avoid the crowds. The security guards let us straight in, one of the many perks of being with WWE, I guess.

Music was blaring as we entered the dark club, disco lights shining here and there. It was extremely busy, people flooding the dancefloor and filling the bar. I kept close to Brie, not wanting to lose my friends in the mass of people. We headed straight for drinks, all of us having shots to start and get us in the party mood. I wasn't exactly sure what I'd drunk as the alcohol went straight to my head, but it was delicious. I ordered a vodka and coke after that, heading straight to the dancefloor with the girls.

I stayed close to the twins, Natalya often dancing close and making sure I was alright. It was intimidating being with all these gorgeous and talented women, but they all made me feel so welcome, like I was one of the girls. Paige was a hoot, and Naomi showed me her dancemoves, Natalya mothering me whilst the twins danced with me.

I was nervous at first, but several drinks later my sober state was completely gone. The liquid had gone straight to my head, my inhibitions lost. The nervousness was gone and I was dancing my heart out, giggling and laughing wildly with my friends.

"John!" Nikki yelled suddenly. I turned round to see her launch herself at him, kissing him in a way that was only meant for the bedroom. Tyson Kidd, Jimmy Uso and Daniel Bryan accompanied him, kissing their wives. "This is girls night, you can't be here, baby," she argued.

"We're just leaving," he smiled, kissing the tip of her nose. "Just wanted to say hi."

The girls said goodbye to their partners before leaving, all of us dancing in a group again. It was so sweet how they all were around their other halves and you could really feel the love. That was the beautiful thing about WWE as a company; not only did they provide these women with a job, but they introduced them to the love of their lives too.

I shook my hips to the music, the alcohol fully affecting me. I knew I was drunk, but I didn't care. I was finally enjoying myself, dancing with the girls and really letting loose…

And then I saw Roman Reigns near the bar.

 _Oh god, he's going to be here, isn't he?_

And sure enough, he appeared beside his team mate, patting him on the back as the Samoan handed him a beer, Seth alongside him. I inwardly groaned, knowing Dolph would not be happy about this.

But I was out with the girls, and the club was big enough that I could very easily avoid him if I needed to. He was at the bar, I was on the dancefloor. Who said we needed to run into each other? And I was not gonna let my night be ruined over the worry that Dean Ambrose could show up. Tonight was about fun and goddamn it! I was going to have fun!

I took Nikki's hands, dancing with her, the two of us twirling around and giggling whlst avoiding looking in the direction where he stood. Paige came over to us with a tray of shots and I knocked back three of them in succession, not caring about the consequences. I was too busy enjoying the music and swaying my hips to the beat.

But I caved and I turned, looking over at the bar again. There he was, staring right at me, a smirk on his lips as he watched me dance. I turned away with a blush, still trying to figure out how he always found me. But I suppose it was quite easy for him. Most of the women he worked with were here, laughing and talking loudly. As a group, we were rather hard to miss. It was only a matter of time before he spotted me in the crowd.

I turned my eyes back to the bar, risking fate again.

His team mates walked away to a table, but Dean stayed just where he was, leaning back, sipping on his beer as his eyes never left me, his blue orbs tracing my body. He looked good, I had to admit. He wore tight grey jeans and a black shirt, rolled up at the arm. I bit my lip, my eyes tracing his body as his had traced mine.

"Who you looking at?" Nikki giggled.

"Dean fucking Ambrose," I slurred in my drunken haze. "He's so annoying with his stupid staring eyes."

"Dean is hot," Nikki shrugged. "Could be worse men out there."

"Does Deany like our Maddie?" Brie giggled, the other girls alert to the conversation. I blushed.

"No! He's just a pain in my ass," I said, the alcohol catching up on me. There was an unsettling feeling in my stomach, my gut churning and I knew it wouldn't be good. "Bathroom!" I shouted, running as fast as I could to the ladies toilets.

Thankfully a cubicle was free, so I ran inside. I barely had time to shut the door before I was on my knees, hunched over the bowl, spewing up the contents of my stomach, vomiting up all the alcohol I'd consumed.

This was why I didn't drink often or like nights out. I didn't know when to stop, I didn't know my limits, I always went too far. It was always worse when people brought me drinks too as I would knock them back as if they were nothing, not keeping track of how much I was consuming. I thought back to what I'd had, several vodkas and cokes, countless shots, I even think a glass of wine was in the mix too. I'd clearly gone overboard and I was paying for it now.

I heard my cubicle door open and close, someone behind me. I assumed it was Brie, coming to see if I was okay. I felt the person hold my hair back out of my face, rubbing my back as I vomited again.

"That's it, get it all out, darling," the voice said. My eyes widened as I recognised it immediately.

What the hell was Ambrose doing here? That talent of always coming to my aid was kicking in again. It was happening almost every day now! I shook my head, unable to focus on that as the pain in my stomach continued, as did the nausea. I was waiting for a judging statement from him, an 'I told you so' but nothing came. He simply held my hair and rubbed my back soothingly until the contents of my stomach was empty.

He gave me some tissue to wipe my mouth and a mint to get rid of the bad taste and carefully helped me to my feet. He made sure I was steady on my feet before letting me go. Sure the alcohol had left my stomach but it hadn't stopped affecting my head. I was completely gone, utterly drunk.

"Are you like a stalker?" I asked with a frown, pointing my finger at him.

He chuckled lightly to himself. "Afraid not, kid. I'd be acting far worse if I was."

"Because you always find me! Maybe you're a spy. Like James Bond. But you can't be, you don't have a suit."

He shook his head. "How much have you had to drink again?" He put an arm around my shoulder, guiding me out of the bathroom.

"And you're so stary! Why do you stare so much?" I giggled like a girl, ignoring his question.

"Maybe we should get you home," he suggested. "Seems like you've had a lot to drink, I don't think your brother would approve."

"He doesn't approve of anything. He'd kill me if he saw me with you right now." I gave him a wink. "It's our little secret," I whispered, raising my index finger to my lips. "Shhhh…"

"Yeah… I'm taking you back to your hotel room," he said sternly.

"Spoilsport," I mumbled as he guided me over to the table where his team mates were sitting. They seemed surprised to see us.

"She's drunk," Dean explained. "Keep an eye on her whilst I tell her friends I'm taking her home?"

"Sure thing, brother," Roman said as Dean wandered into the crowded dancefloor.

"I'm not drunk, I'm just merry," I explained with a huge grin, turning to face Seth and Roman, looking them up and down. "Did you know that you're, like, really tall?" I asked the Samoan.

He laughed lightly. "Yeah I've kind of figured that out, baby girl."

"Maybe you should sit down," Seth said, offering me his seat. I was still wobbly on my feet, so he guided me, hands on my elbows as I dropped onto the chair. "Better?"

"I wanna dance," I said. "I was dancing before and it was soooo fun. I'm gonna dance again."

"No you're not, sweetheart," said Dean as he made his return. "Up you get. I've told your friends so they know you're getting home safe."

"It's too early for home! It's only…" I looked down at my cellphone. Shit, it was 3am. Maybe it was time to go home after all. Dolph would be worrying like crazy by now. "Fine," I said, stomping my foot like a sulking child who wasn't getting their way. I started to skip to the exit, Dean quickly following me.

We made it outside, the cold air refreshingly relaxing on my skin. It helped lessen the effects of the alcohol, but only a little. The Shield member kept his arm linked with mine as we walked, making sure I was steady on my feet.

"I wanna take a taxi. Can we take a taxi, Dean?" I slurred.

"We're walking it back, darlin. The air will sober you up a bit. You'll thank me for it tomorrow when that hangover headache isn't so harsh."

"But I took a taxi here," I explained.

"Well you're walking home," he replied, slipping his spare hand into his pocket. "You shouldn't get drunk like that, Maddie. It's dangerous. You need to know your limits and not get into such a state."

"I'm 22, I was having fun," I argued. "Oh look! A bird." I jogged ahead laughing, chasing the bird as it flew away. Dean chuckled as he walked behind me, watching me closely.

"You're crazy," he commented.

"Says the lunatic fringe," I replied, walking back to him once the bird was out of sight.

"Touché," he nodded, obviously liking my comeback answer. The cold air was helping me to sober up a bit, and I no longer needed Dean to hold me up. I could walk by myself. We walked in relative silence for a while, my pace slowing a little as my heels began to rub my feet, making them uncomfortable.

"Deeeaaannn," I said. "My shoes are too tall and they hurt. Can you make them smaller?"

"No way. If I do anything to your shoes, you'll kill me next time I see you."

He had a point. I loved these shoes.

"But they hurt," I said, jutting my bottom lip out.

He sighed, walking to stand in front of me, his back facing me. "Hop on," he said. I did, jumping up and letting him catch me and hold my legs, giving me a piggy back. "Better?"

"Much. Thanks, Dean," I grinned widely. It was. With the pressure off my feet, the pain started to lessen. My head was already starting to hurt, and my body was aching from all the dancing. The last thing I needed was to hinder my ability to walk too. The drink had already done that. He started to walk back to the hotel. "Means I can stare at you now rather than you staring at me all the time."

I could see the redness in his face from my position behind him and I knew he was blushing furiously.

"I don't stare at you, kid. You just have this undeniable way of getting into trouble wherever you go. Just making sure it doesn't happen again."

I yawned. "Nope, it's staring…" I mumbled, resting my chin on his shoulder and closing my eyes. "You love to stare…" Now the drunkenness of the alcohol was dying, the tiredness was setting in. Dean was warm and comfortable, so it didn't take long for my eyes to drift closed and sleep to settle in. He kept a tight grasp on my body, feeling it go limp as I slept.

"What am I gonna do with you, kid?" I heard him mumble.

I slept the whole journey home, far too relaxed against Dean's muscley body. My sleep was broken slightly after a while, my vision hazy as I wanted to go back to my slumber. I remembered entering a building and a door opening to reveal my brother. We'd obviously made it back to my room.

"Shit! Is she okay?" he yelled as he took me from Dean.

"Shhh…" I said. "I'm sleeping."

He took me over to my bed, Dean loitering in the doorway, watching as Dolph put me under the covers.

"She had a bit too much to drink," Dean's voice said as I closed my eyes. "Just wanted to make sure she got back safely."

"Thank you, I guess," Dolph said, and I could tell from his tone that he wasn't happy about thanking The Shield member. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. She should always have someone looking out for her," Dean replied.

The rest was a haze. Whether it was the alcohol, the aching body, or the warmth I'd felt from Dean after his days of weirdness, everything hit me and I was fast asleep within seconds.

* * *

 **A super big thanks to calwitch, raaeebrucee and my 2 guest reviewers for their kind words on the last chapter. Sorry I can't thank you personally, so leave your name with your review next time so I can (:**


	6. Get Your Fight On

**Hello, you lovely lot!**

 **Welcome back to the next chapter. I really enjoyed writing this one, but I'm not very good at writing matches as they take place, so please bear with me lol. Show me some love with a review, favourite or follow at the end.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Get Your Fight On' by The Prodigy.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I was a little sheepish as I entered the arena with my brother for the Raw taping the following night. He had given me a stern talking to this morning due to my alcohol intake, my drunken behaviour, and the way Dean Ambrose was made to go out of his way to bring me home safely. He'd said it was stupid, foolish, and I should know my limits.

I hated when he was right.

I knew he wasn't too happy with me, and my head was still ringing a tiny bit, so I didn't say as lot as we went to his locker room. I'd made sure I had completely sobered up as Stephanie McMahon had phoned me earlier that day to organise a meeting over the jobs I'd be performing under my work experience. I couldn't go to the boss in a hungover state, so I'd been on water and painkillers all day to stop the effects of the alcohol.

We headed for Dolph's locker room where I quickly excused myself to go see the boss. That, plus I didn't want to deal with another lecture about how I'd worried him. I'd heard it enough! I left my suitcase with him, making sure I had my backstage pass on my person this time, and went in search of her.

I was surprised to see Dean on my travels. He was in the corridor with The Shield, Neville and The Prime Time Players, the six men talking amongst themselves.

I put my hair behind my ears nervously, knowing I'd have to approach him and thank him for last night. I was shy to talk to him and extremely embarrassed, especially after everything he had seen. I was drunk, giggly and I'd thrown up. It wasn't the kind of stuff you wanted a guy and a work colleague to see, so I'd have to profusely apologise too. It had clearly not been my best night.

Plus Dolph had lectured me enough to do it this morning, so I knew I'd have to face the music at some point. So why not the present?

Seth saw me first, batting Dean's chest to alert his attention to me. He looked at me, his blue eyes sparkling initially, like he was pleased to see me. But then they relaxed after a few seconds, turning almost cold.

"Hi," I smiled, all six pairs of eyes looking at me. He simply nodded in acknowledgement.

 _Okay… weird…_

"Listen, I just wanted to say thank you for last night. You didn't have to do what you did and I'm sorry for being in such a state. I'm not normally like that, but it was very sweet of you and I really appreciated it."

He looked at me, chewing gum, a smirk slowly appearing on his lips. He didn't look like his normal self, he wasn't acting with the warmth he often had all the times before with me. He seemed like a bit of a jackass.

"I hardly helped you out, kid. Calm down, I was heading home myself anyway. But sure, fine. Whatever," he shrugged.

I was left open mouthed and extremely confused as he walked away with his team mates and was out of sight. What an utter prick! How could he have been so cold and vile to me? What the actual fuck?! I shook my head in annoyance.

What was with the hot and cold attitude? One minute he's lovely and kind and the next he acts like he doesn't know who I am. This wasn't the first time he'd done this, he hadn't spoken a word to me that evening I'd been unable to get backstage either, and I didn't like it. Either ignore me or act like you know me. Don't pick an in-between. I didn't know if it was him showing off in front of the other superstars, but I didn't have time to think about it. I had a meeting to get to.

I shook Steph's hand as I entered her office, both of us taking seats at her desk.

"How have you been, Madeliene?" she asked.

"Very well," I answered. "I loved watching the show live last week. It was wonderful, thank you for the ticket."

"Well I'm glad you think so," she smiled. "We always strive to put out the best show that we can and to hear the feedback directly proves to us we're doing our job well."

"Definitely," I nodded. "It was amazing."

"The show was something I wanted to discuss with you actually," she began. "I've been speaking to my husband about the position we'd like you to fill and he's suggested an interesting one." I looked at her curiously. "How would you feel about valeting your brother out to the ring every night?"

 _Woah… WHAT?!_

"I beg your pardon?" I asked incredulously, wondering if I'd heard her right. My jaw was about to hit the floor.

She laughed lightly. "Well we've been thinking about it long and hard, Madeleine. We like your look, you're a beautiful girl and we think you're someone the fans can get onboard with. Not to mention the different dimensions it could add to your brother's character. So you'd be helping him too. Of course there will be no wrestling and no talking, that will all come in time. We simply want you to accompany your brother out to his matches and give him your support for now."

Was she actually serious? She wanted me, little Madeleine Ziggler to go out on live television in front of thousands of fans and millions of viewers to escort my brother to his matches. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. My body was in too much shock.

"I… I…" I could hardly get the words out.

"I understand if you want to take some time to think about the offer," she said.

"I'll do it," I replied without hesitation.

Of course I'd fucking do it! How could anyone turn down such an unbelievable and amazing opportunity? Only an idiot would do that. I had dreamed of being in television all my life, it's what my entire degree was based around! _The_ Stephanie McMahon was giving me the chance to go out there and live my dream. And the fact that I could do that with my brother made the offer that much easier to accept. Of course I was saying yes.

"Fantastic!" she replied. "Think you could start tonight?"

xXx

I was standing in the gorilla behind the main stage with my brother, waiting for his music to hit so we could go out, trying to keep the nerves at bay. I'd been dressed in some skinny jeans and white converse, my blonde hair wavy and my lips a bold red. To complete the look I wore a sleeveless black t-shirt with my brother's logo on. It was part of his merchandise. I looked awesome if I didn't say so myself.

"Nervous?" he asked me, bouncing on his feet, eager to go out.

"A little," I admitted. This was my first time on live television.

"You'll be fine, you've got this," he smiled. "And I'm beside you. Just be yourself, the crowd will love you."

I hardly had time to respond before his music hit and we were out on the stage, the crowd going wild, the lights shining brightly. It was a lot to take in as we walked down the ramp, Dolph high-fiving his fans. I waved, my heart pounding from the electric atmosphere. I'd never experienced anything like it before, the adrenaline running through my veins and spurring me on. I could see why my brother loved this so much.

We got to the ring and hopped onto the apron, Michael Cole's voice sounding in the background.

"And it looks like Madeleine Ziggler is out tonight to support her brother in his match against Randy Orton."

"Well she's a pretty girl, Michael," said JBL. "I wonder if she can drive Dolph to a win?"

Dolph held the ropes open for me and we both entered the ring, milking the crowd's applause, waving and getting them geared up for the match. "Told you this was awesome," Dolph whispered quietly to me as his music died down.

The crowd cheered a few seconds longer until new music hit.

 _I hear voices in my head…_

We turned and watched as Randy Orton appeared, some of the crowd cheering, many booing for the heel member of The Authority. He stalked slowly down the ramp, never taking his eyes off us as he moved, his viper side coming out before the match had even begun. Randy was a veteran of the company, and I'd seen him fight many times on TV. He was a fantastic wrestler, no one could deny that. But he was also dangerous, sinister and disturbing. I feared for my brother, but I knew he had the courage to fight someone like Orton.

He entered the ring, climbing the turnbuckle and posing for the crowd in his usual way, finally stepping down as his music came to a close. He looked me up and down, smirking as his eyes racked my body. I shivered, not liking the attention.

"Good luck," I whispered to my brother as I climbed down from the ring, the bell chiming to indicate the start of the match.

Dolph leapt at Randy immediately with a punch, knocking The Viper back a little before he retaliated. He launched at Dolph, slamming him to the mat, causing me to wince as the sound echoed throughout the arena. The match went back and forth, first Dolph on top, then Randy, the fight being tight. I slammed the mat with my hands to encourage the crowd to shout for my brother and rally moral behind him, shouting support whenever I could. He hit Randy with a Famouser but he kicked out after a two count.

 _Damn it!_

But my brother never backed down, always fighting back. He attempted the Zig-Zag, but failed, Randy retaliating with his most famous move. Dolph was hit with an R.K.O, and fell to the floor, totally defeated. Randy pinned him 1-2-3, winning the match. The crowd stood and applauded as Randy's music hit, the Viper standing on the turnbuckle again to accept the crowd's cheers and boos.

I jumped into the ring immediately, rushing to my brother's lifeless and still body to check if he was okay.

"You alright?" I asked in alarm as I knelt beside him, brushing his hair from his sweaty face.

"Head hurts," he mumbled.

"It'll be okay," I smiled as the music stopped and the crowd's tone turned to one of concern.

I quickly found out why as I looked up, watching as Randy Orton stalked towards us, his eyes dark, his smirk sinister.

My eyes widened and I swallowed, moving myself in front of my brother in an attempt to protect him. There was not a fucking thing I could do against Randy Orton, but I had to guard my brother somehow. He was hurt and weak. There was no way could he defend us from The Viper.

Orton sniggered. "Don't bother. You don't have a chance, sweetheart."

He stalked closer and I started to back away. He didn't even look at my brother and I knew it wasn't him he was after. Randy had already disposed of Dolph, now his eyes were primarily on me. I backed away further until I hit the corner turnbuckle with nowhere to go. My heart pounded, my hands going clammy as fear took over my body, causing me to shake. I was petrified.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…_

He licked his lips. He had me exactly where he wanted me.

 _Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta… Shield_

I gasped as we both looked up, the crowd erupting as The Shield appeared at the top of the stairs, making their way down to the ring in a hurry. They look pissed.

Randy backed off a little as all three members leapt into the ring, Dean standing in front of me, Seth standing in front of my brother, and Roman face to face with Randy. Dean did not look happy, a growl falling from his lips as he watched Orton closely, shielding me as best as he could. The audience went wild as they watched the face off, Roman and Randy nose to nose, the Samoan daring him to move. Dean turned his head slightly to look at me.

"You okay?" he whispered.

"I'm good," I replied, my eyes unable to leave Orton.

"Did he touch you?"

"No," was my reply, though my voice was shaking.

Thank god they had come when they had. The look in Orton's eyes had not been anything good. He looked evil, wicked, cruel. I didn't know why he'd come after me, but he had. Dean standing in front of me was the best thing to have happened. His coldness from earlier had been thrown out the window. He was here now and that was all that mattered.

Orton sniggered in Reigns's face before backing away and leaving the ring, walking back up the ramp. The Shield's theme rung out as they watched him leave, none of them happy.

Once Randy was gone, I visibly relaxed, knowing the danger was finally gone. Dean turned to look at me, giving me a once over with his eyes to make sure I wasn't hurt in any way. Content that I was fine, he opened the ropes for me, allowing me to leave the ring. Roman threw my hurt brother up onto his shoulders and carried him from the squared circle, the five of us walking back up the ramp, Dean's protective arm wrapped securely around my waist.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to calwitch, T, raaeebrucee and my guest reviewer for their kind words about the last chapter. Your reviews are always so detailed and wonderful, I love to read them. Keep them coming!**


	7. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

**Welcome back!**

 **We're really making some progress with this story, so I hope you're enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it. Let's get on with it…**

 **This chapter is named after 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' by Arctic Monkeys**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

Dolph and I decided to go to the gym the next morning. He'd visited the medics after his match the night before and he was deemed fine. All he needed to some sleep and rest and he would be good as new.

Never one to back down and show weakness, Dolph had suggested we go for a workout to strengthen ourselves up. He hadn't liked how Orton had taken a shine to me after his fight, so wanted me working out and learning to defend myself in case The Viper came back for a second go.

Randy Orton's sudden liking of me had been… strange, and I didn't fully understand it. I'd never met him, he'd never met me. Yet in that first sighting of each other he'd looked at me like a lion would a lamb, like a piece of meat that was his for the taking. I didn't know what he saw in me or what his intensions were but, like Dolph, I did not want to risk anything. So we dressed in our gym gear and made our way down to the hotel gym.

We did weights first of all, but it wasn't something I could really take to. My frame was slender and my strength wasn't the greatest. It was something I'd need to build up over time. So after only a few minutes, my arms were killing and I knew I couldn't do anymore.

"I'm just gonna go on the treadmill," I suggested, my hands on my hips, my muscles aching. I brushed my hair from my sweaty face.

"You need to keep at it," Dolph insisted, lifting weights with great ease.

"It's too much in one go," I reasoned. "I need to slowly build up my strength. Let me cool off on the treadmill and I'll go back to the weights tomorrow."

He sighed. "As long as you promise you will."

"Of course I will. I want to be able to fight him off as much as you do," I laughed, grabbing my bag and water bottle. "You keep at it but I'm going for a run."

I bid him farewell as I moved onto the next room, seeing several of the treadmills were free. I dropped my bag to the floor and worked the machine till I had it at the speed I wanted, soon hopping on.

I loved running. It was the perfect exercise for me, one where I knew my limits and could do as much as I could manage. Yet it was one where I could push myself and really build up my muscles. And I enjoyed it, I genuinely got pleasure from going on a good run.

Movement from my right brought me from my thoughts, my eyes widening as I saw Randy step onto the machine. He worked the buttons, beginning to run and the treadmill began to move. He didn't say anything to me, he simply watched me as we ran, his devilish smirk wide as his eyes watched my body. I didn't like it, but I knew my brother was only in the next room. If he tried anything I would head straight back to Dolph.

"What?" I asked, trying to show no fear.

"Nothing, just admiring your running technique," he replied. I didn't like it and felt extremely uncomfortable, so I slowed the machine down until it came to a halt, not wanting to be anywhere near this man. "Don't stop on my account, sweetheart," he smirked as I bent down to grab my water bottle.

"Is there a problem here?," said an oh-so-familiar voice and I rolled my eyes at the sound of it.

Dean Ambrose was soon at my side, arm around my shoulder as he stared Orton down. I said nothing, the friction between the two men stifling. I simply stood there, waiting for them to finish whatever this stare off was. Whilst The Shield's interference in the ring had been very welcome, I didn't need them at every instance. I was highly capable of taking care of myself. I was handling the situation fine, I was about to leave to return to Dolph. There was no need for Dean to be here yet again.

Orton shook his head, turning his treadmill off and stepping from it. "Ambrose," he nodded.

"Orton," Ambrose said back, his eyes never leaving the older man until he was out of sight.

"I had it covered," I said as I moved out of his hold. I grabbed my bag.

"I just wanted to make sure he didn't try anything," Dean replied. "You need to stay away from him."

I put my hands on my hips and stared at the lunatic. "It's not like I purposely sought him out. He came to me!"

"I just want you to be careful," he replied.

I rolled my eyes, remembering the instance at Raw where he'd acted aloof as I thanked him. "Why? So you can come save me then act like a total stranger in front of your friends when I come to thank you? No thanks. I'll see you later, Dean." I winked and patted him on the shoulder.

He stood open mouthed, and I knew he was staring as I walked away.

xXx

"The signing is at 9 tomorrow morning, so the car is coming for us at half 8," Dolph explained a few days later as he sorted out his bags, organising his clothes into clean and dirty piles.

"I'll be awake and ready," I said, never removing my eyes from my laptop screen. We were currently in our hotel room and I was working hard on my assignment for college. The deadline was in two days and I needed to get the essay done. All the WWE tapings had left very little time for school work so I was powering through tonight to get it done.

"And there's interviews afterwards," he continued. "Stephanie says you don't really have to talk much, but she wants you present for photos."

"That's fine," I replied, my fingers tapping away at the keys.

He smiled at me. "Looks like you're working hard."

"This needs to be done in two days. I'm not gonna let my school work slack just because I have a job now." I brushed my hair from my face and took a sip of water from my glass.

"This is why you were always the smart one," Dolph said as he sat beside me and began reading my essay. "All that work sounds like mumbo jumbo to me."

I laughed. "Yeah, you stick to the wrestling, I'll stick to the writing."

"And valeting," he added. "The crowd loved you out there the other night."

I shrugged. "I think the cheers were more for you."

"No, they were definitely louder this week," he smiled as he bagged up the pile of dirty clothes. "I'm gonna go get these cleaned, I'll be back soon."

I waved goodbye, concentrating hard on my essay. Dolph returned, watched TV and managed to fall asleep in the time I'd gotten half way through my work. The room was dark, being illuminated only by my laptop screen. I typed and typed and typed, knowing I had to get as much done tonight as I humanly could. I had tomorrow night to finish the work, but I wanted to get most done tonight so I wouldn't be stressing and rushing it tomorrow.

The night seemed long, midnight finally hitting and I was losing concentration, my brain frazzled. I needed to wake up and motivate myself more in order to continue with my work. I looked at my watch and decided a good walk would help freshen me up. I'd go round the block a few times, let the night air wake up my body, then return to the room and finish what I'd started.

I slipped on my shoes and leather jacket before grabbing the door key and heading quietly outside, avoiding waking my sleeping brother.

I slipped my hands on my pockets, letting the cold air hit my skin and awaken my fatigued body. I needed to get my head into gear, I needed to concentrate better, I needed to wake the hell up and be able to work. I walked along the street, the sound of muffled music sounding a few blocks away. My curiosity got the better of me and I followed it, the trail ending at a bar. It looked quaint and not too busy, so I stepped inside, the idea of a drink sounding good. I'd worked hard, I deserved the treat.

And I'd only have one then return to the hotel to finish my assignment. So I walked inside.

I walked up to the bar and took a seat, ordering a Budweiser when the barman asked for my order. I brought the bottle to my lips, loving the feel of the cold liquid sliding down my throat. It was so revitalizing and refreshing.

I held the bottle in my hands, my fingers playing idly with the paper label, my eyes scanning the room.

The bar was quaint, the walls covered in sports memorabilia, a jukebox providing the music I'd heard before. Several tables and chairs covered the room, a small dancefloor in the corner housing a few groups of people dancing. The overall vibe was homely and warm. I liked it.

And then my face dropped, seeing those oh-so-familiar blue eyes staring at me from across the bar. He had a glass of whiskey in his hands, his smirk wide as he watched me.

 _For fuck's sake…_

It was Dean mother-fucking Ambrose.

I swear to god I was bugged, like he had a tracker planted on me or something. How could one person know where I was so much? This didn't seem normal at all, he was like a stalker. No wonder my brother had warned me so much about The Shield.

I bit my lip and looked down at my beer, breaking his gaze. I knew he was approaching me, I could see him move from the corner of my eye. The stool beside me shifted and he took a seat.

 _Great, just what I need_

"Another one please," he asked the barman, handing him his empty glass. "And whatever the lady wants." I finished my bottle, gesturing that I wanted the same again. He returned with our drinks, Dean holding his glass up to me. "Cheers," he said. I raised my bottle, hitting it softly against his glass and took a swig. "Surprised to see you in a place like this, especially alone."

"Well you would know," I said, not looking at him. "You always seem to know where I am."

He laughed lightly. "Maybe you're the one who always knows where I am. I was here first after all."

I looked at him accusingly. "Are you suggesting I'm here for you?"

"Just stating the facts, sweetheart."

"Don't flatter yourself," I said, taking another drink.

He chuckled to himself. "You're feisty, kid. I like that."

"Oh you don't know the half of it," I smirked. "My brother has been teaching me a few things, I can hold my own."

"Oh, I believe you," he said, drinking his whiskey. "I know you've never really needed my help, but I've always provided it anyway."

My eyebrows furrowed. "So why give it me then?"

"Because I hate to see people like you treated like that."

I raised an eyebrow. "People like me?"

"Innocent, good, kind, pretty. You don't deserve the shit you get, especially from the likes of Sheamus and Randy Orton."

I blushed at his words. "Well I certainly appreciated the help against Orton, I can't deny you that one."

"He's a piece of shit," he growled, his eyes turning cold. "I don't know what the bastard was playing at in the ring, but there's no way I was going to let him come after you."

"Well I'm glad you did show up in that instance," I said. "I really needed the help."

"Any time, princess," he smiled, his eyes finally lighting up again. "My brothers and I are here whenever you need us."

I laughed. "I don't think Dolph would be too happy to hear that."

Dean smiled. "Ah, he's just bitter over all the times we beat him down. Authority's orders, nothing to do with us."

I nodded. Dolph had said how they had once worked for Triple H, and I knew in this business you did as you were told or you got fired. Whilst I hated the fact that he had caused my brother pain, I understood why Dean and The Shield did what they did.

I smiled to myself. "Isn't it weird how you've walked me home drunk, saved me countless times, you work with my brother and I see you almost every day, yet this is the first real conversation we've had?"

He thought about it for a moment before looking at me. "You know, you're right." He laughed and held his hand out for me. "Dean Ambrose, pleasure to meet you."

I giggled, shaking his hand in return. It was soft and warm. "Madeleine Ziggler, nice to meet you."

We ordered another drink and continued to talk long into the night, my essay all but forgotten. We spoke about work, his Shield brothers, life back home, how he'd got into the business in the first place. Turned out Dean Ambrose was a nice guy with a good heart. He was pleasant, funny, sweet and a joy to be around. I enjoyed his company and found myself laughing for most of the evening. Not to mention he was fucking good looking and was very easy on the eye.

'Chains' by Nick Jonas came on and Dean looked at me, a knowing glint in his eye. "Wanna dance?"

I looked at him in surprise. "I didn't have you down as the dancing type."

"Oh, I'm full of surprises, darlin," he replied, standing up and offering me his hand. I took it and we both made our way to the little dance floor.

He led me to the centre of the floor and turned me to face him. He looked almost shy as he tentatively placed his hands on my hips and began to sway us to the music. He was testing the waters, making sure it was alright for him to do this. It was; I put my hands on his shoulders and moved with him, silently telling him I was happy to dance with him.

He loosened up then, taking my hand and twirling me, pulling me against him. It was then my turn to be shy, I bit and bit my lip, looking down to avoid eye contact, timid and bashful at being so close to him. I could smell his cologne and feel the heat coming from his body. He placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face to look at him.

"Relax, kid. You're a good little dancer," he said, filling me with confidence.

"You think?" I asked. I'd never really had myself down as a good mover.

"I saw you dancing last week at the club with the Divas, you looked good."

I flushed even redder, my heart thumping in my chest so loud I was surprised he couldn't hear it. "That was just the alcohol."

"You've only had two beers tonight and you dance like a pro. It's not the booze, it's you, Maddie."

I liked the sounds of my nickname falling from his lips. It suited his gravelly voice. "Thanks, Dean," I replied.

I looked up into those baby blue eyes, my arms wrapping around his neck as our bodies pressed against each other in the dance, our chests flush together. I was mesmerised by his smile, his eyes occasionally darting down to my lips, quickening the pace of my heart.

I closed my eyes, feeling him brush his nose against mine, the warmth of his breath flashing across my face. It smelt of whiskey and mint. It was delicious.

"Maddie…" he whispered as he pressed his cheek against mine, making the dance far more intimate, his arms wrapping around my waist.

I was enjoying this far too much, completely loving the feeling of being wrapped in Dean Ambrose's arms. They were safe, warm, protective. I never wanted to leave…

That was until I saw the clock on the wall of the bar.

"Shit!" I cried, pulling away from a very confused man.

"What?" he asked as I pulled out my cellphone to double check the time was right.

"It's 3am and Dolph and I have interviews and signings tomorrow. I need to be awake in four hours. I gotta go home."

I began to walk away but Dean grabbed my hand, causing me to turn back round to face him. "I'll walk you back."

I smiled at his sweet offer. "I'll be fine, it's literally two blocks away."

"You sure?"

I nodded. "But thanks anyway." I squeezed his hand. "You know, you're not as dark as you make yourself out to be in that ring. You're actually quite sweet."

"I save my sweet side for only a few special people," he chuckled.

"Well I'm glad I'm one of them." I leaned forward and gently kissed his cheek. "Thanks for a great night."

I gave him a wink and left the bar.

* * *

 **Many thanks to calwitch, raaeebrucee and ghostlylove for their reviews. I love hearing the feedback from my readers, so don't forget to review, favourite and follow.**

 **Much love**


	8. Done All Wrong

**Hey, guys!**

 **Welcome back! Hope everyone is well. And I hope you're all ready for another chapter.**

 **Lets get on with it.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Done All Wrong' by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

Unsurprisingly, I was rather tired at the signing the next day. I'd managed three and a half hours sleep and was running on a lot of coffee. Dolph was none the wiser that I'd gone out, he just assumed I'd been awake all night doing my essay. I wanted to keep it that way. The last thing I needed was yet another lecture from The Show Off.

Several superstars were at the signing besides my brother and I. The Miz, Randy Orton, Paige, Ryback, Lana and Seth Rollins were all there, meeting and greeting their fans, signing posters and posing for pictures, giving the fans what they wanted. I was highly grateful that Randy's table was the opposite end to mine and Dolph's. The last thing I wanted was a further run in with The Viper.

After a morning of signings came a few interviews from different magazines and websites, all asking burning questions about the upcoming PPV. After Randy's run in with Dolph and I on Raw, Stephanie had seen fit to put them in a match together to see where the feud could really go.

I wasn't too pleased when she phoned us up, announcing the match to us. I wanted to be as far away from Randy as possible, and a fight involving him wouldn't exactly be helping me to achieve that goal. The closer to him I was, the closer the danger was.

But what could I do? She was our boss, she was in charge. What she says goes, so we had no option but to agree or risk being fired or shit on for the rest of our time with the comapny. Though, a part of Dolph was pleased about the match-up. He wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of Orton for attempting to attack me.

Dolph smirked at Lana in passing as we went for our second interview of the day, the Russian blushing, but I thought nothing of it. I just wanted to get everything out of the way so I could go back to the hotel, relax, and finish off my assignment. I'd never done interviews and signings before, but I'd discovered they were long and tiring. So the sooner we were done, the better.

"So your match has just been announced against Randy Orton at BattleGround," the interviewer began. "What's your plan of action?"

"Well after what happened Monday night on Raw with my sister, I can't say I'm too pleased with Orton right now," Dolph said. "No one messes with my family and they certainly don't mess with my little sister. Orton better be ready, because I'm coming with everything I've got."

I smiled warmly at my brother. He really was caring and protective, and I knew I could always rely on him. He was truly the best big brother a girl could ever wish for.

"Madeleine, can you tell us why it was The Shield who were the ones to help you?"

"Huh?" I said, looking at the interviewer with surprise. I didn't expect any of the questions to be aimed at me. Mrs McMahon had said I'd only be needed for photos.

"Oh, erm, I'm not sure," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. I needed to answer over fear of looking stupid. "Either way, I was grateful for their interference. I wasn't sure what Randy was going to do."

The interviewer nodded, content with my answer, continuing to question my brother for the rest of the interview. My mind wandered back to The Shield as Dolph continued answering questions, more specifically Dean Ambrose and the wonderful night we'd spent at the bar.

I'd seen a side to Dean that I'd never witnessed before. A sweet side, a friendly side, a human side. He acted all dark and menacing in The Shield, but when it came down to it he was just an ordinary guy. He had likes and dislikes, he laughed and joked, he smiled and danced. He was sweet, and it was nice seeing Dean rather than the lunatic.

It was refreshing and I liked it.

The interview ran long, so I quietly excused myself to get another coffee, knowing I was no longer needed. I headed to the cafeteria of the building and I quickly found the coffee machine, putting in my money and waiting for the drink to be made. I quickly drank it, going for a second. I desperately needed to stay awake and stood there as my second drink was poured.

"Someone likes caffeine," said a voice behind me.

I tensed up as I looked round, coming eye to eye with The Viper. He was dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, looking as normal as any other man. I knew better, I knew what he was really like, and I didn't want to hang around to find out more. I grabbed my drink and began to leave, only to be stopped by his hand on my arm.

"What?" I asked coldly, trying to shrug him off.

"I'm only trying to be polite and make small talk," he said softly, but I wasn't falling for it. Orton and I were beyond small talk. He'd cornered me in a wrestling ring, knowing I was utterly defenceless, and he was about to attack. He was a monster and a devil. He was fooling nobody with this idea of small talk.

"Well I have somewhere to be so excuse me," I said, barging past, but he quickly grabbed my arm again, tighter this time. I looked down at his hand. "Y-You're hurting me."

"You're being rude, Madeleine," he growled, my face wincing as he squeezed harder. I knew he'd leave a mark if he didn't stop.

"Randy, stop," I said, trying to pull away.

"Why are you being so rude?" he growled, pulling me closer.

"Back off, Orton," said Seth as he suddenly stepped into view, silently threatening The Viper as he stood at my side. I swallowed as Orton smirked, letting me go and taking a step back. I looked down at my arm, rubbing the red mark he'd left on my pale skin in an attempt to sooth it. I hoped it wouldn't be too sore. "Leave her the fuck alone, you've been warned."

"You're as bad as Ambrose," he commented as he walked away, shaking his head.

"You alright?" he asked me.

I nodded my head. "What is his fucking problem?"

"Hell if I know. Dean warned me he might be around today. He asked me to keep an eye on you."

My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at the blond and brown haired man. "He did?"

He folded his arms. "After what happened on Raw, we're all a bit concerned. Randy is used to getting his own way around here. And Dean isn't standing for it."

I blushed, touched by the concern of Ambrose. He'd actually sent his brother to look out for me because he couldn't be here personally. I knew we'd gotten on well at the bar, but I didn't realise our friendship had hit a spot where he was looking out for me without even being here. He knew I didn't always need the assistance, but I was grateful he'd given it anyway, even if it was in the form of Seth.

"Well tell him thank you next time you see him," I smiled. "And thanks to you too for scaring off Orton."

He winked. "Just doing what the lunatic told me to do."

He left, me following suit, holding my coffee warmly in my hands as I returned to my brother.

xXx

We made our way to BattleGround on Sunday night, my brother eager for his match. He'd been training everyday and was ready to show Orton what he was made of. Sticking to my promise, I'd been training with him, working on my weight lifting, Dolph showing me a few moves should Orton corner me again like he'd done at the interviews.

I'd told Dolph immediately what had happen and he'd gone absolutely crazy. He wanted to beat Orton down there and then, but I'd managed to calm him down, letting him know he'd have the chance to do it on Sunday. This had pacified him thankfully, but it didn't stop the anger that had oozed from him for the rest of the week. I'd never seen him train so hard, and he'd barely left my side, wanting to know I was safe at all times.

Dean's kindness had also been running around my head all day and I knew I'd have to thank him tonight before his 6 man tag match against the New Day. Randy was clearly not stopping for whatever reason; he clearly had issue with me. So to send someone to protect me even though he was absent was quite touching. He knew I could take care of myself, but it was always nice to have someone interfere when I was beginning to struggle.

But getting out to thank him without my brother throwing a fit because he wanted to keep an eye on me would not be easy. I'd no doubt have to lie, because if I told him what I wanted to do he'd flat out say no, especially if he knew it involved The Shield. But I had a plan in my mind.

"I wanna quickly pop out, I'll be right back," I said after I'd changed into my usual ring gear – skinny jeans, white converse and a sleeveless black Ziggler shirt.

"No way," he said sternly. "You aren't leaving my sight till Randy Orton is flat on his back in the middle of that ring!"

I sighed, knowing I'd have to blag my way out of this. There was no other way I was going to be able to talk to Dean otherwise.

"I need the bathroom, Dolph. Lady problems. You can't exactly watch me there."

He signed, that little phrase changing his mind somewhat. "Fine. But if you aren't back in ten minutes, I'm phoning Nikki or Brie to go in there and find you."

"Trust me, I'll be back in two," I said, quickly rushing out the door before he had chance to change his mind.

The corridors were busy with superstars and staff members preparing themselves for the PPV. People were warming up, some of the Divas getting their make-up applied, others getting their ring gear prepared. I quickly greeted Paige as I passed her on my search.

It didn't take me long to find Ambrose. He was with Renee Young, Neville and Cesaro, the four of them discussing some football match they'd watched. He was all smiles and laughter so I was happy to catch him on a good day.

I quietly approached him, tapping him on the shoulder to grab his attention. He turned around to look at me, four pairs of eyes gazing in my direction as I smiled up at him. He seemed surprised to see me.

"Hey," I greeted him. "Listen, I just popped by to say thank you for the other day."

"What about the other day?" he asked in confusion.

"You know, for sending Seth over to help. Randy was being his usual self so it was really sweet of you to ask him to look out for me."

He sniggered, shaking his head, looking at his friends as if I was crazy. "If Seth helped, then thank Seth. Nothing to do with me, kid."

His tone was cold again. It was harsh, like he was trying to get me off his back. My shoulders and face dropped as I looked at him. He was doing it again; nice one moment, distant the next. This was hurting my head.

"But-" I began.

"Look, kid, I've got a match to prepare for. Shouldn't you be with your brother?" He turned back to face his friends.

Tears built in my eyes as I glared at him, the sweet and funny man I'd spent the evening with at the bar completely gone. Now he was the lunatic, the guy who wouldn't give me the time of day. And quite frankly I was fucking sick of it!

I was tired of not knowing where I stood. I was tired of him being lovely, genuine, protective and sweet one moment, then being distant, cold, and acting like he didn't know me the next. My head couldn't take it any more. I was tired of this treatment. I was fucking sick of feeling hurt.

 _You either want to be my friend or you don't._

I held my head up high, not wanting to show my hurt to the other three superstars. I said nothing, I simply turned on my heel and headed back to Dolph, my mind made up.

If he couldn't decide what he wanted, then I'd decide for him. I wasn't taking it anymore, I was not gonna be a friend he could come and go to when he pleases then treat me like shit in front of his friends the rest of the time.

My mind was made up.

No more.

I was fucking done with Dean Ambrose.

* * *

 **Thanks to** **Crazychiksxxxx** **, calwitch,** **Hollarious969** **, finish-her and raaeebrucee for their lovely words on the last chapter. All reviews are welcome so don't forget to leave a few words to let me know what you think.**

 **Much love.**


	9. Miss Independent

**Hey, y'all!**

 **Hope you're all well and have had a good week.**

 **So things are pretty shit between Maddie and Dean right now. But who said the course of true love did run smooth?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Miss Independent' by Kelly Clarkson.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

"You okay?" Dolph asked as we stood at the gorilla, waiting for his music to hit so his match at Battle Ground could begin. He could see I was tense and wasn't myself. And who could blame me after the stunt Dean Ambrose had just pulled?

But it didn't matter anymore. I wasn't taking that shit from him any longer. He couldn't decide so I'd made his mind up for him. I was done with Dean Ambrose, totally and utterly done. He was nothing to me and I was going to move on with my life knowing he wouldn't be in it.

"I'm good," I said, bouncing on my feet. "Just excited for you to get out there and beat the shit out of Randy Orton."

Dolph smirked. "Damn right. I don't plan to leave till that son-of-a-bitch is unconscious in the middle of that ring."

I smiled at him, my mind clear, totally ready for this fight. The music hit and we took this as our cue to step onto the stage.

We came out to a cheering crowd, the audience going wild for Dolph, fans flashing their signs and wearing their Ziggler t-shirts. I knew people were totally on our side for this match. Dolph's fan base was big enough anyway, but after how Randy had been, I knew it was even bigger tonight.

We high-fived the fans, making our way to the ring. We hopped onto the apron, my brother holding the ropes open for me to step into the ring. He followed suit, jumping onto the turnbuckle to take in more praise from the crowd. I applauded him, joining in with his fans and showing him some love.

He jumped down, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as we milked the applause, smiles on our faces. The music soon died down and we knew what was coming next. We turned to face the stage, ready for his approach.

Within seconds, Orton's music sounded and he emerged, slowly making his way down the ramp, his eyes staring intently at us. The crowd offered him boo's and insults, but he simply smirked, enjoying the hate, being a true heel. He quickly hopped into the ring, standing on the turnbuckle and striking his trademark pose.

He jumped down, coming face to face with my brother, the tension and friction oozing off of them. I stood firmly at Dolph's side, never showing my fear to Randy, letting him know we meant business. They were nose to nose as Lillian Garcia announced them, poised for battle. Once she'd finished, I took this as my cue to leave.

I jump down, resting my hands on the apron as the bell rang.

They immediately locked up, each fighting for dominance, Dolph finally winning as he captured Randy in a headlock. Randy threw him off, Dolph bouncing off the ropes and retaliating with a drop kick, sending Orton to the floor. The crowd cheered, the smile on my face getting wider.

Randy got up and brushed it off as Dolph bounced off the ropes again, running towards him. He combated my brother's run, scooping Dolph up and hitting him with a scoopslam.

"Damnit," I muttered to myself as Randy began to kick him on the floor. Dolph suddenly slapped him, knocking him back whilst he got up. He jumped up onto the turnbuckle, leaping onto Randy's back, grabbing the older man in a sleeperhold. The crowd went wild as he began to feign and weaken. Sadly, Orton had other plans. He ran until my brother's back hit the turnbuckle, breaking the hold, knocking my brother out, causing him to roll out of the ring.

I rushed to his side. "You okay?" I asked.

"That fucker hasn't finished me yet," he smirked, jumping back onto the apron. However Randy was ready. He hit Dolph with a punch, causing him to fall through the ropes. With his feet in position, the crowd boo'd as my brother was hit with an elevated DDT. Dolph fell to the floor, completely out of it.

"Fuck," I mumbled, knowing Randy was going to pin him.

Only he didn't.

Instead he jumped out of the ring, staring right at me, his smirk sinister and dark. He was after me again.

 _Fuck… this guy doesn't quit, does he?_

He sniggered at me, knowing I had nowhere to go and that he'd cornered me yet again. Only I wasn't the same scared little girl as last time. I knew Randy now, I knew the true danger. And I was prepared. I stood my ground, my eyes never leaving his, showing no weakness.

All of a sudden music hit the arena, the crowd going wild.

 _Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta… Shield_

We both looked up to the top of the staircase, the hounds making their appearance. I growled, fucking pissed that Ambrose would show up like this considering how he'd treated me earlier. We watched as they came down to the ring, their faces beyond angry that Orton would try this again.

But I didn't care for them this time. After how Dean had treated me, I no longer needed The Shield to protect me. I'd had enough of Dean Ambrose and his hot and cold ways. Dolph and I had been in the gym all week and he had taught me a few moves.

A few moves that would show Ambrose I no longer needed him or his Hounds Of Justice.

Dean was about to pounce on Randy but I got there first. I hit The Viper straight in the face with a powerful superkick, just like the one my brother was famous for. The crowd went insane as I did it, everyone utterly surprised that I'd battled back, 'This Is Awesome' chants filling the arena. Orton fell to the ground, the ref too busy checking on my brother to see it. The Shield looked at Orton's still form, Dean looking back at me in both shock and confusion, utterly flabergasted.

I raised an eyebrow, giving him a stare that let him know I was taking no shit and that I could handle myself. His services were no longer required.

Our stare off continued as Dolph came to, quickly realising what the situation was. Knowing he had an advantage, he grabbed Randy and threw him into the ring, standing him up and hitting him with a Zig-Zag to make sure he was truly done for. Randy fell to the mat, Dolph pinning him 1-2-3.

The crowd stood and cheered like crazy as Dolph's music hit, the ref holding up his hand in victory. I simply stared Dean down, a sly smirk appearing on my lips as realisation finally sunk in for him. He glared at me, clearly not happy with how things had played out.

"Maddie," he growled lowly. "What are you doing?" I ignored him. "Maddie?" To say he was mad was an understatement.

I simply continued to smirk at him, backing away and meeting my brother at the foot of the ramp, his pissed off face staring me down as we made our way backstage.

I was done with Dean Ambrose and now he fucking knew it.

xXx

The celebrations were rife that night, not only because of my brother's win but because of my retaliation and attack upon Randy, showing I wasn't a girl to be messed with.

Brie and Nikki had taken us out for drinks, the group including myself, Dolph, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Natalya and Tyson Kidd. Lana had decided to join us too having being invited by my brother. Nikki, John and Daniel had also won their matches that night too, so a round of drinks was brought and we all clinked our glasses together.

"Cheers!" we all shouted, smiles on our faces.

"Well done on the wins, guys," Brie smiled.

"And well done to Maddie for kicking some ass," Nikki added, Dolph rubbing my back in celebration. "Never knew you had it in you."

I bit my lip, blushing. "It was nothing. Was just sick of taking his shit. I'm no wrestler but I had to fight back somehow."

"Well it was amazing," smiled Natalya. "The audience loved it too."

"The Shield didn't look to happy," Nikki whispered to me as she sipped on her drink, everyone starting their own conversations.

I shrugged. "Screw The Shield. I don't need them and they simply didn't like the fact that they were rendered useless."

"But what about Dean?" she asked quietly so that Dolph could not overhear. I'd told Nikki and Brie all about my evening at the bar with Dean. Whilst they had warned me to stay on high alert, they liked that he had shown his sweeter side to me. They also knew how he'd given me the cold shoulder too.

"Dean Ambrose can fuck off," I said. "The guy can't decide what he wants from me, so I did it for him. No more hot and cold, I'm not taking it anymore."

She high-fived me. "You go, girl!"

We giggled and continued to enjoy our drinks with the rest of the group.

I felt good and I felt happy, knowing I'd fought back and shown I had a backbone. I didn't need my brother or The Shield to help me at every instance. I was no damsel in distress. I was feisty, spirited, and I could hold my own. I'd shown the fans, I'd shown my bosses, I'd shown the world.

It was empowering…

So trust The Shield to walk into the bar at that exact moment and totally screw my good and positive mood over.

I rolled my eyes as they entered and sighed, hoping to god they wouldn't come over to us. I doubted they would, but you could never trust them. I'd always thought one thing about Ambrose but he'd done another. So as a group, I knew they could be quite unpredictable in what they did. I watched as Seth entered, followed by Roman, my heart strangely pounding when Dean entered last, my previous smile disappearing.

He wasn't alone. He was accompanied by Renee Young, his arm fixed firmly around her waist.

I didn't know why, but my stomach dropped.

I watched as he looked at her, his smile bright, his arm holding her waist tighter. He whispered something in her ear and she laughed, patting his chest lightly. I swallowed, watching their every move.

After how he'd treated me, I didn't have a fucking clue why I was annoyed by the scene. I wanted nothing to do with him anymore. Sure, we'd had a bit of a thing, especially at the bar, but I was done with him and he knew it. We were nothing now.

So why was this upsetting me so much?

My face dropped as they walked towards the bar, his hand moving to rest on her ass. My jaw tensed, my hands balling into fists under the table. It was like he was showing her off and purposely acting over affectionate so the world could see. I glared them down, my heart pounding as his eyes came to rest on me. My chest tightened nervously as he stared, wondering what his next move would be.

He could see I was pissed, but there was no sympathetic look in his eye. Instead he broke eye contact, smiling down at Renee and getting her a drink.

I was getting angrier and angrier, not only at him but at myself for responding in such a way. Considering I'd decided to cut Dean Ambrose out of my life, I wasn't exactly acting like I had. Even now he managed to get under my skin, and I knew he was purposely winding me up. This was only confirmed when he whispered in her ear and squeezed her ass in his hand, causing her to blush.

I knew he was doing this on purpose, purely to piss me off. He'd seen how I'd reacted during the match and now he was getting his own back. But this was different. I had simply shown him that I was no longer a defenseless woman. I had shown him that I could hold my own and didn't always need his help to save me. Dean was playing with my feelings.

I may have bruised his ego, but he was hurting my heart.

I felt the stinging behind my eyes and I knew tears were coming. I let out a breath, closing my eyes and willing them away. I put my drink on the table and stood up.

"You okay?" Nikki asked in concern, Dolph looking up at me upon hearing her words.

"Just not feeling great. I think I'm gonna head back to the hotel and rest," I replied.

"Want me to come with you?" Dolph asked.

I shook my head. "No, you enjoy yourself. I'm just gonna go to sleep anyway."

"Okay," he replied.

"I'll see you all tomorrow," I replied, waving my goodbyes, kissing the girls on the cheek and hugging my brother.

I grabbed my purse, trying to calm my angry and upset head down and walked away from the table. I noticed Dean watching me leave from the corner of my vision, his eyes never leaving me. I didn't bother looking back, I just wanted to get out of here, get up to my hotel room, and cry my eyes out.

I guess my heart wasn't as done with Dean Ambrose as I thought.

* * *

 **Thank you to** **Hollarious969** **, calwitch and** **Crazychiksxxxx** **for their lovely reviews. I love you guys! Keep the reviews coming, folks. I always love to hear what you have to say.**

 **Also don't forget to check out my other Shield story 'Irresistible.'**

 **Much love**


	10. All Fired Up

**Hello!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath. Hope you're all enjoying it so far.**

 **Some of you have been worrying about Dean and Maddie, but all will fix itself. This story will be a bit of a slowburn, because people don't usually fall in love instantly, do they? I want to make it as real as possible. Plus we get to enjoy all the fun they go through as they realise something we've known all along - they're crazy for each other. So don't worry!**

 **All in good time, my loves.**

 **This chapter is named after 'All Fired Up' by The Saturdays**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

The word I'd use to describe Raw the following night would be uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable due to all the questions I was asked about my kick to Randy Orton by other Superstars, uncomfortable over the constant fear Orton was behind every corner ready to fight me back, and uncomfortable over the fact that Dean and I refused to say a single word to each other despite passing one another several times during the night in the corridor.

We didn't look at each other, we didn't acknowledge each other. We simply passed by like two complete strangers, neither of us giving the other the time of day.

It was awkward, it was discomforting and extremely uncomfortable.

And it was because even though neither of us wanted to be the first to back down, the energy coming from both of us told me we both blatantly wanted to discuss this.

But he was too proud, I was too proud. He thought I was the one in the wrong, I thought he was the one in the wrong.

So the night continued in the same way, full of ignorance and lack of recognition. All I knew was there was no way in hell I was talking to him. I was going to stand my ground on this occasion.

Dean Ambrose hurt me not once but twice last night. First with his hot and cold attitude, then secondly with his blatant parading around of his new girlfriend, if that's what she even was. He'd never mentioned her before and I'd never seen them together until last night.

Perhaps she was just a piece of arm candy he was using to get a rise out of me.

Well it had fucking worked.

It hurt to see him so close with another woman after he had been so close to me. His warmth and kindness at the bar, the way he'd danced with me and held me close… It had obviously meant nothing to him if he could just switch to another girl after so short a time. It made me resent and hate him more, this clearly showing anything that had happened between us had meant nothing to him.

His hot and cold attitude proved this too. If I was genuinely a friend of his, why was he so lovely to me when we were alone, but acted like a complete dick when we were in the company of others?

Was he showing off?

Was I not good enough?

Was he so adamant on keeping this bad-boy lunatic image in front of the other wrestlers that he'd just ditch me like that?

He drew me in close, then would find some horrible and stupid way to push me away. Dolph had warned me about The Shield from the beginning, but I had been stubborn and had ignored him. I'd gone against my brother's sound advice, finding out the hard way that Dean Ambrose was not worth my time.

So why the fuck was I still obsessing over him? Why did I still look at him and wish we could be how we were before? Why did I glare at Renee and wish I were in her place?

I ran a hand through my blonde wavy hair, staring so intently at the coffee cup on the canteen table that I feared I'd burn a hole right through it. Nikki and Brie sat with me, chatting amongst themselves. I occasionally answered them back so they knew I wasn't totally in my own dream world.

But I think they could tell when Brie started waving her hand in my face. "Hello? Earth to Maddie."

"Huh? What?" I said, slowly bringing my attention back to the twins.

They looked at each other before turning their stares back to me.

"Okay, spill," Nikki said. "There's obviously something going on here."

"It's nothing," I said, idly playing with the empty sugar packet on the table.

"We're not stupid. What's wrong?" Brie asked softly, trying a more sympathetic tactic. "You know you can talk to us."

I sighed, wondering if the perspective of an outsider to the situation would help. I suppose it was better than letting it eat me up inside. The twins were my best friends, and I always trusted their advice.

"It's Dean."

Nikki raised an eyebrow. "Dean? I thought you were done with him."

"So did I," I said. "But he walked into the bar last night with Renee Young and…" I shook my head. "I dunno, it kinda upset me a little."

"That bastard had another woman?" Nikki said in an offended tone, clearly pissed off with Dean's actions.

I nodded. "It fucking hurt."

Brie gently took my hand in hers supportively. "It would. I'd be the same if a guy I liked brought in another girl like that."

"He's just so confusing," I said. "One minute he's sweet, the next he's distant. One moment he dances with me and the next he's bringing other women out to flaunt in my face."

"Sounds like a dick-head to me," said Nikki honestly. "The idiot doesn't know what he wants."

"And I thought I could forget about him and cut him out. But I can't get him out of my head." I rested my arms on the table and dropped my head into them, groaning in annoyance. "I fucking hate men."

"They aren't all bad," Brie tried, rubbing my back.

"Easy for you guys to say," I mumbled. "Daniel is as sweet as they come, and John is just awesome."

"Yeah, he sure is," said Nikki dreamily.

"Not helping, Nicole," Brie said sternly.

I lifted my head from my hands, leaning back in my chair, staring into space.

"Why don't you just talk to him and have it out?" suggested Nikki. I looked to her, my eyebrows furrowed. "It's obvious it's never going to get sorted if you rely on him to come to you, so you have to make the first move."

"But he's the one in the wrong," I reminded her.

"So be the bigger person here," she retaliated. "Go to him and talk it through. It's making you feel like shit, Maddie, and I hate to see one of my best friends hurting."

I shrugged. "I guess."

"And this way you can either work through it and move forward together, or put this argument to rest and end everything amicably before going your separate ways," Brie added.

The twins were right, and I knew it. He was never going to talk to me first. The bastard was far too stubborn for that. And after how he acted towards me around the other superstars, he'd never approach me at work. I'd have to go to him, I'd have to put my proudness aside and be the first to breech the subject.

"Fine," I sighed, standing up. "But if this goes bad then I'll be at your hotel room tonight, and I expect ice-cream and a shoulder to cry on."

"We'll get chocolate _and_ vanilla," Nikki winked as I walked out the canteen. "Good luck!" she shouted behind me as I made my way into the corridor.

I took deep and extremely nervous breaths as I walked the many corridors of the arena in search of Dean. I knew he had a match tonight so the quicker I could find him the better. I knew this would be a long and heavy conversation and I didn't exactly wanna be cut off by one of the tech-guys saying that The Shield were waiting for him to go to that staircase ready to enter the ring.

I had no plan in my head over what I'd say or what I'd do. I'd just wing it and let my heart do all the talking. It was the best option because anything my brain thought up would all turn to shit when I saw him anyway.

His locker room was empty and none of the Superstars had seen him in the men's toilets. I searched every hallway I could until I entered the very back where all the lorries were that carried the set from state to state.

There he was, sitting on some crates, his eyes closed and his headphones in, taping his fingers against his thighs to the rhythm of his music. From our many topics of discussion at the bar, he'd told me he'd listen to music before a match to really get in the zone and psych himself up for a match.

I slowly made my way up to him, fighting my body the whole way to not chicken out. He rested his head against the wall behind him, slowly opening his eyes. They soon shot open as they saw me, never leaving me as I approached him. He was in his ring gear, looking every bit as menacing as he wanted to be.

 _Well if I can superkick Randy Orton in the face, then I can definitely have simple conversation with Dean Ambrose._

"Hi," I said as I walked closer to him. I stood there, my fingers playing with the hem of my vest top.

He jumped down from the crates, meeting me half way. "Hey," he said in greeting.

This was as awkward for him as it was for me.

"I think we need to talk," I began.

"I thought you did all your talking last night," he said sarcastically. "Though it was more actions then words."

 _Oh, so this is how it's gonna be, is it?_

"I don't get what the problem was," I said, the nerves quickly leaving my body. "Randy attacked, I fought back. What's the issue?"

"The issue is that smarmy little smirk you gave me as you did it. I didn't have to come out there to protect you, but I did. Fight back by all means, but there was no need to be rude to me about."

I shook my head incredulously, folding my arms. "Oh, so you wanna talk about people being rude? I could stand here all day and discuss every rude thing you've done to me."

He smirked. "Saving your life? Stopping Randy attacking you? Walking you home when you're drunk? Yeah I seem rather rude."

My hands balled into fists, my anger boiling up. "How about ignoring me? Acting like I'm a complete stranger in front of the other wrestlers? Making me feel pathetic and humiliated in front of people I work with?"

"Always remembering the bad things, never the good things," he noted.

"You treated me like shit, acting like I was nothing to you!" I yelled at him.

"And yet I still came down to that ring last night and I still prepared myself to fight for you and protect you," he said, taking a step closer to me. "Even after I've been labelled a rude guy, I still put my body on the line and rushed out there to make sure you were okay."

I glared at him, fire in my eyes, hating that he was turning this on me, making me feel like I was the one in the wrong. You could see why he was elected as the mouthpiece of The Shield. He had quite the way with words.

"Doesn't explain why you had to parade Renee Young around in front of me though, does it?" I retaliated.

"Because you'd hurt me, Maddie," he answered.

"And you'd hurt me!" I fought back. "You made me think I was nothing, like I was some stupid girl who you could come and go to when it pleased you." My voice was getting louder and louder, my anger and frustration showing themselves. "And then to top it off you had your hands all over another woman, making sure I could see everything!"

"Bit hypocritical considering you'd embarrassed me in front of millions, making me feel like a fucking idiot for coming out there to fight for you," he growled until we were nose to nose, fire and feistiness in both our eyes, neither of us backing down.

"So you thought your bruised ego meant it was okay to hurt my feelings and my heart?" I questioned. "You were so wonderful to me, so sweet and kind and funny. You made me smile, made me laugh, made me think I had a fantastic friend. But my brother had warned me about you and wish I'd fucking listened." I fought back the tears pooling in my eyes.

"And I thought you needed me," he shouted back. "I thought I'd finally found someone who wouldn't push me away because I'm unpredictable and brawly. I thought you liked me for me and not because I could dish out some heavy hits. My brothers are the only ones I've ever let into my life, but I thought you'd finally understood me too, so I brought down my barriers a little. But then you fight back, giving me that look that told me you don't give a shit about me any more. The hurt works both ways, darlin."

My heart sank as I knew this wasn't going to work out. The arguing wasn't stopping and we were winding each other up more and more. I just wanted this to end.

"Fuck you, Dean Ambrose," I mumbled lowly.

"Wanna say that again?" he said through gritted teeth.

So looked up into his eyes. "I said fuck you, Dean Ambrose. Fuck you and your lack of compassion. Fuck you for pushing away a girl who genuinely gave a shit about you. I didn't turn on you, you drove me away. I was your friend and-"

And then I gasped as he crashed his lips to mine, pressing me against the wall behind us, his whole body holding me against it. His lips caressed mine in a harsh and desperate kiss, one where I began to kiss back once the shock subsided. I closed my eyes, kissing him as hungrily as he was kissing me. His hands ran up my body as mine moved to tangle in his hair, drawing him closer. He moaned as I gently tugged on the strands.

"Is this what you want?" he mumbled throatily against my lips. "Is this what you've been fucking after?"

"Shut up and kiss me," I breathed back, causing him to slip his tongue into my mouth, gently stroking it against mine. I moaned softly and I felt him smirk against my lips.

My god, it felt wonderful. It was the best kiss I'd ever experienced. It was rough, heavy, hot. It was sloppy, raw, needy. It wasn't romantic and it wasn't sweet; it was full of lust and hunger. It was everything Dean Ambrose was, it was as up and down as our relationship had been so far.

But I knew deep down it wasn't solving our issues. We were still angry, we were still pissed off, we'd still hurt each other. This friendship of ours was unorthodox and anarchic. One minute we couldn't keep away from each other, then the next we were at each other's throats.

The kiss was just a short term solution. But long term, we honestly needed to talk this out civilly. If not, I knew we'd have to just walk out of each other's lives.

But for now my hazy brain couldn't think about any of that. All I could think about was his tongue in my mouth and his hands holding my hips, making that hot feeling grow in my stomach. He pressed further against me and I could feel his hardness against my leg. It made me moan more, Dean nipping at my lips with his teeth before kissing me again.

"Dean? You out here? It's almost match time," came a voice I recognised to be Seth Rollins's.

"Fuck…" Ambrose said, pulling away, the two of us breathing heavily, fighting to get oxygen back in our lungs. I stared at him as he looked at the floor. "Uh, yeah, I'll be there right now," he shouted back.

The tension between us could be cut with a knife, the silence deafening. All we could hear was our laboured breathing, Seth's footsteps telling us he was walking away.

Dean finally looked back to me, and I knew he was as concerned about the kiss as I was. It had been sudden and spontaneous, something done in the heat of the argument and neither of us knew what it truly meant.

But it had happened, and we had to deal with that.

"What now?" I finally said.

"I don't know," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Jeez, I shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's made our problems much more complicated."

And I had to agree.

I liked him, he liked me.

I hated him, he hated me.

But he'd kissed me.

Where did we go from here?

* * *

 **A gigantic thanks to** **Blue Moon Solstice** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **, calwitch, raaeebrucee, cherish. angel** **and** **DeanAmbrosegirl1 for their kind words about the last chapter. You guys are awesome. Love you all!**

 **Don't forget to check out my other Shield story, Irresistible**


	11. Second Chance

**Hello!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath.**

 **So the last chapter ended a little crazy for our favourite couple who aren't actually a couple. There's going to be a bit of progression for them now. Remember this is a slow burn. Everything will come up good in the end.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Second Chance' by Shinedown**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

Dean and I ignored each other until Smackdown, neither of us making any contact with the other. We had a hell of a lot to think about, and any interaction would not help.

I needed to be alone with my head to figure this one out.

He'd actually kissed me! His lips had touched mine and he'd full on made out with me at Raw. It had literally been the last thing I had expected to come from our conversation. I expected a few words, an argument, the whole thing ending in either a handshake or me walking away.

What I had not expected was Dean Ambrose launching himself at me and kissing the hell out of me.

I couldn't deny it, the kiss had honestly been the best I'd ever experienced in my life. It was hot, hungry, sensual. The man knew how to give a woman a good time, and it made my body feel things I knew it shouldn't have. It had turned me on, made me feel hot under the collar, and a part of me worried where it could have led to had Seth Rollins not interrupted us.

But I was thankful he had.

Yes the kiss was insanely good, but it wasn't helpful and didn't solve our problems. Dean and I were still at each other's throats, we were still rather pissed off with each other, we still didn't know where we stood. This kiss had only made things worse because shit between us now was as awkward as it had ever been and it made us avoid each other more.

What we needed was a real conversation, one where we could sit down and get everything off our chests and come to a solid conclusion of where our friendship stood. And we clearly needed mediators too. Doing this solo, just him and I, had clearly not worked. It had just made us shout, scream, and kiss one another out the blue.

Just like a match in the ring, we needed a ref to make sure nothing got out of hand.

Dolph was out of the question! He'd got pissed over the fact I'd even interacted with The Shield. He'd go nuts if he knew I was trying to sustain a friendship with one of its members. I dreaded to think what he'd say if he knew one of them had kissed me!

I considered Brie and Nikki, but they already had a preconceived opinion of Dean, so they would be insanely biased. Plus if I knew Nikki, she'd get involved, her hot headed attitude coming out and the roles would soon be reversed, me refereeing between her and Dean!

My final option was Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Yes, they could potentially be biased towards Dean, but they had always been sound and fair whenever I'd met them. They'd even saved me on a few occasions. Plus they were all about fighting for justice. Once they knew how Dean had treated me, maybe I'd get them on side.

Yes. The Shield would pretty much be the best option here.

I was sat in my brother's locker room as he wrapped tape around his hands for his match tonight against King Barrett. We were both changed into our ring gear, me wearing my usual skinny jeans, white converse, and sleeveless Dolph Ziggler shirt. I was in a world of my own as he stood, ready to go.

"Come on, Maddie," he said, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Oh, yeah, sure, coming," I smiled, returning to reality. We left the locker room, making our way to the gorilla.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked as we walked. "You've been out of it all day."

"I'm fine," I said, plastering a convincing smile onto my face. "Just thinking about my school work. Not got long left now before I'm all done."

He rubbed my hair in a brotherly way. "It's gone quick. I'm so proud of you, kid."

"Thanks, Dolph," I replied, happy that my lie had been persuasive enough.

We reached the gorilla, the tech guys making sure we were ready. Once we were, Dolph's music hit and we made our way out.

xXx

The grins on our lips were huge when we finally made it backstage, Dolph winning his match with flying colours. We high-fived each other, a couple of staff members and Superstars offering him their congratulations after how great the fight had been. The crowd had loved it and I was so proud of my brother in that moment.

"Congratulations, Dolph," said Lana as she passed us, her Russian accent thick. "You looked great out there."

"Thanks, darlin," he said with a wink, watching her as she turned the corner. I looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "What? She's hot!" he said. I simply shook my head. He'd always had an eye for the ladies.

Dolph was sweaty and tired, but a staff member quickly informed us we were due to do an interview with Renee Young for his reaction to the win.

I growled internally at the mere mention of her name, images of Dean's hand all over her flashing through my mind. I knew none of this was her fault, she just happened to be the woman he'd chosen to use to show off in front of me. But it still didn't stop the jealousy and bad feelings towards her.

But I was a professional, I would start nothing at work. I would bite my tongue and attend the interview. Dolph would do all the talking anyway. So all I had to do was stand there, grin and bear it, and wait for it to be over. We made our way to her.

"Ladies and gentleman," she began, mic in hand. "Please welcome my guests at this time, Dolph and Madeleine Ziggler."

We heard the crowd cheer as we appeared in shot, my brother smiling as I rested my elbow on his shoulder in a relaxed stance.

"Hello, Renee," he smiled.

"Dolph, after your victory against Randy Orton at BattleGround and your win against King Barret, how do you plan to build on this winning streak?"

"Well, Renee, these victories haven't come easy. The constant harassment my sister got from Randy Orton was a problem. But it also spurred me on, giving me more confidence to beat him…"

I hardly remembered what Dolph said, all I could do was look at Renee and remember him whispering in her ear, remember him making her blush, remember him squeezing her ass. I hated her and I had no reason to. She'd done no wrong, it had all been him. But I couldn't help it. She was beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, and I could see why he'd chosen her. Did he like her? Did he want her? Did she mean something to him? Even now after the fighting and arguing, I still wanted to be on his good side.

I looked to Renee, noticing her looking behind us, her eyes widening, and I didn't know why. I soon got my answer when Dolph and I turned around, my brother being hit directly in the face by a Broguekick from Sheamus. Dolph flew backwards, hitting me in the process, causing us both to fall to the ground.

Renee ran away as Sheamus continued to punch and beat down on my brother his rage apparent. It took me a few moments to realise what was happening. I looked up, seeing the angry Irishman attacking Dolph.

"This is what you get for grassing me up. This is what you get for getting me into trouble," he shouted into Dolph's face as he grabbed him by the hair. "You and your stupid sister getting me suspended. Well, fella, I don't take too kindly to that."

And then it suddenly occurred to me what he was talking about. After his bullying antics and spilling the coffee over me on my first day here, Stephanie had said she'd dealt with Sheamus. She'd obviously suspended him for a few weeks, and now he wanted his revenge.

He threw my brother to the ground, turning his stare to me. "And you!" he yelled. "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even have this problem." He approached me, towering over me as I lay on the ground.

What the fuck was it with heels attacking me constantly? First Randy and now Sheamus. It was starting to get annoying, especially as I had done nothing wrong. Danger was literally around every single corner.

"Back off, Sheamus," said Seth Rollins as The Shield suddenly appeared in front of us. I hadn't even seen them arrive, but they were standing in front of me, all glaring menacingly at Sheamus.

It was the first time I'd seen Dean since the kiss, and my heart pounded nervously. After everything we'd been through, I was surprised to see him here protecting me yet again. But he was. Once again he was putting his life and reputation on the line to make sure I was safe. It made me wonder if he wanted to fix this relationship of ours like I did. Why else would he be out here? If he was so adamant on protecting me, maybe he knew there was something between us to fight for.

Roman helped me to my feet and I rushed to my unconscious brother. Dean stood nose to nose with Sheamus, his eyes dark, his body twitching, the true lunatic emerging.

"Do you remember what I said last time you attacked Madeleine?" he asked the Irishman. Sheamus simply stared at him uncomfortably, knowing he was clearly outnumbered. "I said I'd show you what the hounds can really do to a useless piece of meat like you. That we could rip you up and tare you to shreds. I said I couldn't wait to test out that theory."

"And guess what, Sheamus?" Seth asked. "The hounds are hungry…"

All of a sudden Roman launched a superman punch into Sheamus's face, knocking him completely outcold with one hit. I heard the crowd cheer from the arena, the camera panning over to The Shield as they held their fists together over Sheamus's body.

I didn't have time to see the rest, medics appearing to quickly grab Dolph and take him to get checked over. I went with them, my brother's well being far more important to me right now. Once he was checked over and given the all clear, I let out a breath, knowing I needed to go thank The Shield for their interference.

Yet again they'd helped me. But they'd helped Dolph too and they deserved all my praises.

Figuring they were in their locker room, I rushed through the corridors until I reached it, knocking nervously on the door. This conversation was happening now whether they liked it or not. When there was no answer, I knocked a little harder, the door soon being opened by Roman.

"Maddie?" he asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" I asked. He nodded, holding the door open wider for me to step inside. Dean and Seth were on a sofa when I entered, Dean quickly standing upon seeing me. He looked as surprised as Roman had been. I blushed a little as I looked at his lips, remembering where they had last been.

"Maddie…" he simply said.

"Listen, we really need to talk."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I think we do."

We all took seats and I was grateful for the presence of Rollins and Reigns. This conversation could actually work out now they were here.

"Firstly, I have to say thank you for helping Dolph and I like that. I honestly didn't know what Sheamus would do. You protected us and stood up for us, and I'm eternally grateful for that."

"Anytime, baby girl," said Roman. "We can't stand seeing injustice like that."

"And it made me think…" I looked to Dean. "If you can continue helping me like that after all the shit we've put each other through, then surely we don't hate each other as much as we're making out. I think our friendship is worth fighting for, right?"

Dean stared at me for a while, deliberating my words.

"Well I'd certainly welcome your friendship," smiled Seth, Roman agreeing. "You're a cool kid."

"Thanks guys," I smiled, looking back to Dean. "I know things got weird between us, and I know what happened last night made things awkward. But I'm willing to work at this if you are. I'm tired of the anger, the shouting, the constant avoiding one another. Let's give this a second chance."

He was silent, but slowly he came round to the idea. "I can agree to that. As always, you're right."

"If you guys wanna keep saving me, we may as well make something out of it," I laughed lightly.

"So we're starting a fresh," Dean said. "The arguments are left in the past."

"Yes," I nodded. "I'm wiping the slate clean. Friends?" I asked, offering him my hand.

He smirked. "Friends," he replied, taking my hand and shaking it.

* * *

 **A giant thank you to** **Blue Moon Solstice** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **raaeebrucee** **,** **Cherish. angel** **,** **DeanAmbroseGirl1, pinayprincesa** **and my guest reviewer for their kind words on the last chapter. You guys are awesome and I love you all!**

 **And if you love The Shield, go check out my other story, Irresisitible**


	12. Friends

**S'up!**

 **Hope everyone is well! Time for another chapter. Maddie and Dean have finally decided to give this whole friendship thing a go. Let's see what happens.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Friends' by Band Of Skulls.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

"Where are you off to?" I asked Dolph as I sat on my bed one morning, working on my assignments. The end of the school year was coming up and finals were right around the corner, so I had to get my work finished.

"Just… out," he replied, ironing his shirt carefully.

Dolph _never_ ironed his shirts. Like ever! He'd pull them out the dryer usually and hang them whilst they were still warm. But ironing? Nope. That never happened.

Something big was going on.

"Out where?" I narrowed my eyes before taking out my cellphone and snapping a picture.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Taking a picture. I've never seen you use an iron in my life and I want to document the moment forever."

He chuckled, switching the iron off once the shirt was done. "Har har. Very funny. I'm just going out with a friend." He slipped the shirt on, buttoning it up.

"Must be a special friend," I said. "Is it a lady?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes it is. And she's just a friend," he quickly added.

"Do I know her?" I asked.

"I'm saying nothing," he said, putting on a jacket, spraying himself with cologne and grabbing his room key.

I had a sneaky suspicion who it was. He'd been talking to one particular woman for a while now, and I always caught them smiling at each other at work when Dolph thought I wasn't looking. I had no problem with this person, I thought she was a beautiful and very sweet woman. She'd be good for him.

"Is it Lana?" I asked.

"Bye, Maddie. I'll be back later," he shouted as he quickly left the room, pretty much confirming my suspicion. I shook my head in amusement.

There was very little my brother could hide from me, especially when it came to his love life. I remember when he started dating Nikki all those years ago and kept it from our parents for months. I knew from day one. He always had that happy and content smile on his face when he texted her that could only be described as love.

But I was happy for my brother. If he was dating Lana then he deserved it. My brother was handsome, athletic, and one hell of a catch. Any woman would be happy to have him.

After working on my assignment for a few more hours, I knew I needed a break. But I wanted a break that was still useful and productive to my day, not something where I'd slack and laze about. I basically needed to avoid Netflix at all costs, knowing I'd be watching a TV series for the rest of the day if I didn't. So I decided to head down to the hotel gym for an hour or so. I was a valet for WWE now, and I was on television every single week, so I had to make sure my body was in the best shape.

Sure, I wasn't a wrestler, but I still had to look good. Plus I enjoyed the gym, it was fun and good for me. Not to mention Orton and Sheamus still had a problem with me. So it was always an excellent idea to stay in a good and fit condition should anything come up between them and I.

I quickly changed into my gym gear and tied my blonde hair up into a ponytail. I filled my water bottle up and headed out the room and to the elevator, going down to the gym.

The gym was fairly empty when I got there, this pleasing me as I hated when the place was busy. I was a very conscious person when working out, and hated the idea that someone could be watching my workout and judging me, so the fewer people the better. I did a few stretches, warming myself up before heading over to the treadmill.

I gave myself ten minutes on the machine going at a steady pace in order to work up a sweat and push my body without going too crazy. I wanted to ease myself into this, just like Dolph had always taught me. I finished my ten minutes, taking a few sips from my water bottle before heading into another room to try some reps on the rowing machine.

I smiled a little as I saw The Shield on them, working hard.

Ever since our little conversation after Smackdown, things between us all had been far better. We weren't exactly besties, but they were warmer, friendlier and much easier to be around. I felt more relaxed too, not constantly wondering if they were going to be around every corner to cause trouble. The talk between us all had done us some good, especially between Dean and I.

We'd only seen each other on the odd occasion since but it had never been awkward or uncomfortable. Any smiles we shared were genuine, we greeted each other politely, the atmosphere had now become a warm one, and it felt great to not have to worry about him anymore.

I still didn't know why he'd kissed me that night before Raw, but we both knew it had been when the air around our 'relationship' was toxic and not good for us. It had occurred at a bad time, and I knew we had to push it out of our minds. We had agreed to start a fresh, become friends, forget everything that had gone before… even if it meant our kiss.

As enjoyable as it was, and believe me it was insanely enjoyable, it had to be left in the past. I hoped one day we'd talk about it and the meaning behind it, but for now our friendship was more important to me than one spontaneous kiss. I wanted to work on that and build something amazing.

Dean Ambrose was a cool guy and I didn't want to let the past ruin what we planned to build for the future.

Roman was currently working hard on the rowing machine, Dean doing the same on the one beside him, Seth timing them both on his watch.

"Come on, you pair of girls. I could do better than this after a match with Brock Lesnar!" he yelled, spurring both men to row faster. I could tell they were clearly having some kind of competition.

"Fuck off, Rollins," said Dean through breaths. "You wouldn't… even be… able… to beat… Fandango on a… rowing machine…"

My giggles of amusement alerted them to my presence and I made my way towards them. Seth smiled when I reached them. "Hey, Maddie."

"Hey, guys," I smiled, watching the two of them row for their lives. "Who's winning?"

"Not sure," replied Seth. "It's too close to tell. Ten seconds left." Both men rowed with all their might for the last bit of time, putting as many reps in as they could. "And… time!"

Seth stopped the stopwatch, both men stopping their movements, leaning back and fighting to catch their breath. Both were sweating and had worked hard, reaching for their bottles of water.

"Fuck… if I haven't beaten you this time, I'm gonna be pissed," Dean said to Roman as he wiped his brow, his hair sticking to his forehead.

"How'd we do, Rollins?" Roman asked, Seth looking at the dials on both their machines to get accurate readings about how many reps each man had done.

"Dean… 215," Seth announced. "Roman… 220"

"Fuck!" yelled Dean, squeezing some of the water over his head to cool him down. "Thought I had you this time."

Roman smirked. "I'm just too good, buddy."

I laughed. "You'll get him next time, Dean."

"Damn right I will," he said, standing up and stretching out his limbs, walking over to Seth and I. "Where's your brother? You're never usually at the gym on your own."

"Dolph has himself a little date today," I informed them as Roman joined us. "So it's just little ol' me down here."

"Well we were about to head out for dinner if you wanna join us," said Seth.

 _Dinner?_

"Yeah, I'd like that," I smiled widely. And I would. This would be the perfect opportunity to talk to these guys and generally just get to know them. If we wanted this friendship to work, I knew I'd have to bond with them. And dinner was a fun and informal way to do that. "Dinner sounds wonderful."

"Well we need to shower and change, so meet us in the hotel foyer in 45 minutes?" Roman suggested.

"Sounds great," I replied.

xXx

I showered and changed, wearing some skinny jeans, some converse and a band t-shirt, figuring casual dress when be best for an informal dinner. My hair was down and I wore minimal makeup. I grabbed my bag and room key and hurried down to meet the boys.

They were already downstairs when I got there, all looking very handsome.

"Hey, guys," I smiled as I reached them.

"Hey, she's finally here," Seth smiled. "Was beginning to wonder where you'd gotten to."

"I'm a girl, cut me some slack," I said nudging him with my shoulder, causing them to laugh. We soon left the hotel, walking to one of the many restaurants down the street.

Dean smirked at me as we walked. "So you're a Foo Fighters fan?"

"Huh?" I asked, realising he was looking at my t-shirt. "Oh, yeah. Massive fan."

"A girl after my own heart," he smiled. "You have good taste." He winked and I blushed as we finally made it to the restaurant.

Dinner was completely wonderful, the four of us chatting and laughing the entire time. We spoke about our friends, family, likes and dislikes. I already knew many of Dean's after our conversation at the bar weeks ago, but it was fun to get to know Seth and Roman too. The Shield were highly menacing in the ring, but outside they were so fun and sweet and nice. I hadn't laughed or smiled this much in weeks, and I was glad we'd all decided to give this friendship thing a go.

"When's your brother due home?" Dean asked as he finished up dessert, and I shrugged.

"Not sure, but if I know him it wont be till late," I said, sipping my drink. "Especially when he's enjoying himself."

"Well why don't you come back to our hotel room?" he suggested. "We can have a movie night or something."

I looked at the three of them. "You sure?"

"Yeah, good idea. It's not fair to leave you alone all night till he gets back," said Roman. "You may as well have some company."

My grin was huge. "I like the sound of this."

So it was agreed, I would go back to The Shield's hotel room and have movie night. It did sound like fun, and it would continue the bonding experience. And it was way better than sitting alone all night waiting for Dolph to come home. I liked these guys and I loved their company. So it was win-win.

We made our way back to the hotel and headed up to their room. It was far bigger than mine and Dolph's since it had more occupants. It had its own living room area complete with sofas and massive TV screen.

"Nice room," I commented.

"One of the perks of being one of the most dominant factions in WWE," Seth replied.

We all kicked off our shoes and settled down onto the sofas, making ourselves at home. Roman pulled popcorn and drinks from the mini bar as Seth sifted through the many films the hotel had available for rent.

"So what are we thinking? Comedy? Horror? Rom-com?"

"Definitely not rom-com," said Dean and I could help but smile at his folded arms and adamant attitude.

"What's wrong with a good rom-com?" I asked, sitting beside him.

"Boys outnumber girl here three to one," he said. "And I know these boys will agree with me."

"Kinda gotta agree," said Seth. "I'm veto'ing rom-coms. Sorry."

"How about comedy?" asked Roman as he shared out the snacks. "Everyone loves a good comedy."

And we all agreed. Comedy it was! We flicked through the list of movies, finally settling on Anchorman 2, the four of us settling down to watch the film. I'd seen it a hundred times but it never failed to make me laugh, the guys enjoying it too.

I relaxed into the sofa, moving subconsciously closer to Dean. I stretched my legs out, looking at the man in surprise when he lifted them to rest on his lap. He smiled down at me before continuing to watch the television. I was surprised to see him that comfortable around me that he'd do something like that. Our friendship was building, sure, but there was still a big history between Dean and I. Lots had gone on and lots had happened, and I thought it would take a long time to build up a closeness where he'd be this comfortable in my presence.

Yet here I was, legs in his lap, his hands resting on my knees.

I smiled inwardly, glad that we could be like this.

We sat at ease as we watched the end of the movie, deciding to watch Ted next. I'd seen the movie before, but the time of night meant I could slowly feel my body grow tired. It had been a long and full day, and I was struggling to stay awake. I was a light weight and I knew I'd need my bed soon.

Without realising what I was doing I slouched and rested my head on Dean's shoulder, my eyes slowly drifting closed, feeling his arm slip softly around my waist before sleep overtook me.

xXx

When I began to regain consciousness again, I saw that I was no longer in The Shield's hotel room, I was walking down the hotel corridor, only I wasn't the one doing the walking. I felt arms under my legs and around my waist, my head leaning against a muscly and very good smelling chest.

I looked up sleepily to see Dean carrying me bridal style.

"What's going on?" I yawned, the brown haired man smiling down at me once he saw I was awake.

"You fell asleep, darlin'. Figured I'd take you back to your room so you could rest properly."

"Such a gentleman," I smiled, resting my head against his chest again and closing my eyes.

He chuckled. "That is the first time in my life I've ever been called a gentleman."

"Well what would else you call someone who'd take a girl back to her room like this?" I asked.

"Good question," he said, pondering his answer.

"You're a gentleman and a good friend," I said with a yawn.

"Friend? Friend is good. Though I'm sure we're past that now, Maddie" he said.

I opened my eyes, watching him as we walked, wondering what the hell he meant by that. I suppose we'd been through a lot together; good things, bad things, and a very hot kiss. I was extremely tired, but I knew this was something we needed to discuss.

"Dean?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are we okay?"

He looked down at me. "Course we are. What makes you think we're not?"

"There's a pretty big elephant in the room, and we haven't really talked about it yet."

He nodded. "I guess you're right. Can't avoid it forever."

"Do you regret doing it?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear his answer.

"No," he said without hesitation. "It wasn't my greatest idea considering we were at each other's throats. But there's no way in hell I could regret it."

"Then why did you do it?" I asked.

He stopped walking then, looking at the walls as he considered his answer. "Because in that moment it felt right, like it was the only thing I wanted to do. I needed to know what it was like, whether you'd kiss me back."

"And what was it like?" I asked.

He smirked, looking down at me. "Best kiss of my life, darlin'."

I smiled as he began to walk again. "Mine too. Do you regret deciding to do the whole friendship thing instead?"

"No. At the time we were on pretty bad terms. Yeah, I kissed you and I fucking liked it, but it would have been wrong for anything to come of it, especially under the circumstances. I think we need to do the friendship thing… for now at least."

I cuddled against him as he held me tight and nodded. I had to agree. Dean Ambrose was an amazing man, one who I held in high esteem. But if we had started anything after that kiss, our relationship would have ended before it even began. We weren't in a good place, and one spontaneous kiss was not a good enough reason to start anything. At least with a friendship we could get to know each other and bond. And who knows, if anything more came from it, at least we'd be better for each other at that point.

He kept me tight in his arms as we reached my room and he pulled my room key out his pocket. He opened the door, letting us both in. He switched on the lights and lay me gently on my bed. I could barely keep my eyes open as he gently pulled my shoes off and threw back the covers, settling me in the bed and covering me back up, tucking me in.

"Thanks, Dean," I said, barely keeping my eyes open. "You're the best."

"You're not so bad yourself, kid," he smiled, stroking my hair, leaning over and kissing my forehead tenderly before sleep overtook me.

* * *

 **Slow burn, people. Slow burn.**

 **Thanks to calwitch, kakalove and Cherish. Angel for their lovely words about the last chapter.**

 **Don't forget to leave me a few words as I love hearing feedback from my readers. Favourite, follow and check out my other Shield story too, Irresistible.**


	13. Goodnight And Goodbye

**Welcome back to Catch Your Breath!**

 **Hope everyone is well and had a lovely weekend. So the friendship is progressing nicely between Maddie and Dean. So lets put a hurdle in the way, huh?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Goodnight And Goodbye' by Jonas Brothers.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

"I don't know about this, Dean," I said with folded arms, looking at him skeptically.

He simply smirked. "Come on, it'll be fun. You need to know this shit with all the trouble you like to get yourself into... which is a lot!"

Raw was in Florida this week so Dean and I had chosen to go down to the WWE Performance Centre to train. Well, I say chosen, more like he'd asked me to accompany him. He'd dragged me along and I wasn't sure why until now. We were currently standing in the middle of a wrestling ring, Dean ready to show me a few moves.

"Dolph has already taught me some moves," I explained.

"Darlin', just hitting someone with a superkick won't do. Whilst you executed one excellently on Randy Orton's jaw, it's not enough. You need a few more moves in your arsenal. If you just superkick them every time, they'll soon learn to expect it."

"But Randy Orton hasn't bothered me since," I said.

"Yet that's not to say he won't try again. And last time I checked Sheamus had a bit of an issue with you as well. It won't hurt you to learn other fighting techniques. Me and the boys might not always be around to help you."

"But-"

"And I'm sure your brother would approve of you doing this. He's as worried as the rest of us about what they could do to you."

My shoulders dropped and I sighed knowing I wasn't going to win here. He had an answer for every question. "Fine. I'll do it to shut you up and get you off my back."

"That's my girl," he smiled.

I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea but I suppose his theories made sense. It wouldn't hurt to be able to attack them in other ways apart from a superkick.

"So what are we learning today then?"

"I figured a simple clothesline could be handy," he said. "Especially when it's out of the blue and unexpected. Can knock a person right off their feet and disorientate them. Gives you ample escape time if you can perform one properly."

I nodded having seen in performed several times by many wrestlers on TV over the years. "I can manage that."

"Right, arm out straight and keep it sturdy," he said, and I did as I was told, Dean moving it until it was in the correct position. "It's all about aim. Try to hit my chest, hard as you can."

He stepped back and I did as I was told, doing a little run up and hitting him full in the chest. He barely flinched.

"Huh?" I looked at him questioningly. "Why didn't it work?"

"You need to be more forceful than that. Give yourself a bigger run up, hit me like you mean it."

"I don't know," I said. "I don't wanna hurt you."

He laughed lightly. "Maddie, I'm over a foot taller than you and probably twice your weight. You won't cause any damage. This move is more about disorientation and escape then actually hurting me. I'll be fine. Hit me with your best shot."

So I did. I backed up into the turnbuckle, running at him with all my might, my arm knocking him straight onto the mat.

"Like that?" I asked.

"Brilliant," he smiled, getting back to his feet. "Just like that. Try it again."

I did it again and again and again, my confidence growing every time. It was a useful move to have. It was defensive move of sorts, so this coupled with my superkick meant it would be harder for Sheamus and Randy to successfully attack me.

He got back to his feet after my last attack. "Right, one more and we'll call it a day."

I nodded, wanting to make this my best and most powerful clothesline. So I ran towards him, hitting him with so much force that as he fell to the mat, my momentum brought me down too, causing me to fall on top of him. Thankfully Dean caught me in his arms before I could seriously hurt myself. He pulled me against him, his chest pressed to mine, our faces mere inches away from each other.

"Shit, you okay?" he asked, his breath feeling warm across my face.

 _Fuck, he smells good…_

I looked down into his blue eyes, his own looking back into mine and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You, um, you took a little tumble there." His arms tightened around my waist, drawing me to him, my heart pounding, my blush spreading all over my cheeks.

"Sorry," I whispered, my stomach doing flips knowing he was this close to me. I could feel his heart thumping against his chest, the pounding so loud it filled my ears. He was as affected as I was.

Quickly realising the position we were in, we broke apart and got to our feet, trying to ignore the energy we'd felt between us.

"So yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "That was a good session. We'll try and expand it during our next one."

"Well it won't be for a little while," I said as I grabbed for my water bottle. "We'll have to wait till after I'm back."

He frowned, suddenly looking back at me in confusion. "What are you talking about? Back from where?"

The end of the school year was coming up and finals were next week. I'd already explained the situation to Mrs MacMahon and she'd been fine with me leaving, knowing my education came first. I'd be straight back, ready to travel and work for WWE fulltime, but I need to go home first to finish my exams and complete my degree.

"I have to go home for finals," I explained, drinking some of my water.

"You never said you were leaving," he said, hurt laced in his voice.

"I've been so distracted with assignments and WWE that I forgot. It's only for a few weeks," I explained. "I'll be right back after that."

"Weeks?!" he said incredulously. "You can't be gone for weeks!"

I laughed. "I'm afraid I have to."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, not seeming his happy cheery self. His persona had changed in an instant.

"This is bullshit," he mumbled under his breath.

"Listen," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder, touched by his reaction. "It's a few weeks maximum. Then I'll be straight back here, ready to train and ready to valet Dolph out to the ring every single week."

He sighed. "I'm just gonna miss you is all."

I smiled knowing Dean's softer side rarely came out, especially in a place as public as the Performance Centre where the other wrestlers could see him. "I'm going to miss you too. Now come on, we have to meet the guys for lunch."

So we headed to the changing rooms, Dean looking completely deflated.

xXx

I seemed to have my very own leaving party at the airport to see me off. I thought it would have just been Dolph and I, but Dean, Seth, Roman (much to my brother's displeasure), Nikki, Brie, and surprisingly Lana had come too, though I assumed it was more for Dolph's benefit. I'd checked in my luggage and was waiting to go through security to my gate.

"You got everything?" Dolph asked. "Passport? Tickets?"

I laughed lightly. "Yes, I've checked three times over."

"Okay, just checking," he smiled, zipping up my jacket for me. "Gotta make sure my little sister is all ready to go."

"I'm ready, Dolph," I smiled, turning to Lana. She and my brother had definitely gotten closer and he'd formally introduced her to me a few days ago. She was lovely and I could see how much they liked each other. "Take care of him for me, okay?"

"Of course, Madeleine," she said in her thick accent, kissing me on each cheek to say goodbye.

I was then suddenly wrapped in Nikki's arms, the girl squeezing me tightly. "Do you have to go?" she said sadly.

"Yes, Nikki," I smiled, embracing her back. "But it won't be for long."

"We need you to hurry back. You're like our third Bella twin!"

Brie laughed and embraced me in her own hug once Nikki had pulled away. "Good luck with the exams. I know you'll do great."

"Thanks, Brie," I grinned, finally turning to The Shield. Dean had his hands in his pockets, looking all sorts of pissed off. The best word to describe him was grumpy.

"Come here," said Seth, hugging me to him, rubbing my back. "Be safe and do your best with finals. I know you'll ace them."

"That's the plan," I laughed, pulling away. "I just want to get them done and get back on the road."

"Here here!" said Roman as he snatched me from Seth. "We're gonna miss our little Maddie." He hugged me so tightly I could hardly breathe. I'd miss The Shield. We had really bonded over the last few days and I would genuinely miss them. They were all great friends and I couldn't wait till I made my return and could see them again.

Finally I turned to Dean. He was just staring at the floor, avoiding my eyes.

"Do I get a goodbye?" I asked him.

"No," he said. "If I don't say goodbye then you can't leave."

I frowned in annoyance. He was like a sulking child and he was ruining the moment. "Well I'm going regardless, Dean, so it's your choice. I'll be back in three weeks."

"Then go have fun," he shrugged, refusing to meet my eyes.

 _You wouldn't believe he was a 29 year old man with how he was acting!_

"Fine, be like that."

I let out an exasperated breath and shook my head at his childishness. If he wanted to act like a complete dick about me going then fine. I'd let him do it. I wasn't going because I wanted to, I was going because I'd worked for years on this fucking degree and I wasn't going to fall at the final hurdle just because I had a job now. I was going to do my exams and finish what I started.

So if he wanted to sulk and be selfish about it, then he could do that. I didn't give a shit. I was still going with or without his blessing.

I turned away from him, approaching my brother and hugging him tightly. I was going to miss Dolph like crazy. I loved my big brother so damn much and I'd loved every moment on the road with him so far. He was like my best friend and I hated leaving him. But I knew I'd be back within a few weeks and we could pick up where we left off.

Plus I'd watch him on TV every week and I knew he had Lana now to keep him company. He wouldn't be alone if he had her.

"Call me when you land, okay?" he asked, squeezing me tightly.

"I will," I smiled as we finally pulled away.

I picked my rucksack off the floor, waving everyone goodbye as I walked to security, getting my passport and ticket ready. The flight wouldn't be too long to Florida and I wouldn't be gone for long, but I could already feel the tears building behind my eyes. I was going to miss everyone so much. And I'd miss my work too. My time with WWE had been amazing and I couldn't wait to come back and carry everything on.

"Maddie! Wait!" called Dean from behind me.

I turned around to see what was wrong. I saw him running towards me and I gasped when I was suddenly embraced in his arms. He hugged me tightly against him, wrapping his arms around my body protectively. He buried his face in my hair and didn't say anything. He simply held me. I returned the hug, smiling happily knowing he'd had a change of heart and had finally come round to the idea. I wrapped my arms around his waist as he held me close, refusing to let go.

"Don't be gone too long," he whispered. "Just come back to me soon."

"I will," I smiled, his warmth enclosing itself around me, his smell flooding my nose as I fought to commit it to memory.

As much as I loved The Bellas and as much as I loved Dolph, I knew I'd miss Dean most of all. After everything we'd been through and everything we'd felt, there was going to be a big Dean-shaped hole in my life for the next few weeks. He was fast becoming one of my best friends and one of the most important people in my life. The tears that had previously stayed away started to fall, tumbling down my cheeks and soaking his shirt.

"Go ace those exams and hurry back, okay?" he asked.

I laughed. "I'll be on the first flight back to you guys," I reassured him.

"I'm gonna miss you, kid," he said. "More than I thought I would."

"I'll miss you too, Dean. Show Randy and Sheamus who's boss whilst I'm gone."

"Oh don't you worry about that," he chuckled. "I'll win every fucking match I have."

"I don't doubt it," I said as he broke the hug, looking down at me.

"Hey, what are these tears for?" He gently wiped them away with his thumb, loving the delicious feeling of his skin brushing over mine.

"I'm just gonna miss you is all."

He gently leant forward and kissed my forehead softly, his lips lingering for a few moments before he pulled away. "I'll be right here waiting for you when you come back." He smiled down at me. "Be safe."

"Always am," I winked before reluctantly turning and heading for security.

* * *

 **Thank you so much to Finish-her, Calwitch, Crazychiksxxxx and Cherish. Angel for their lovely words about the last chapter. You guys rock!**

 **Don't forget to keep the reviews coming and to follow and favourite. Thank you muchly**


	14. Reunite

**Well hello there!**

 **Little bit of sadness at the end of the last chapter with Maddie leaving us. Poor Dean. Let's put that smile back on his face, shall we?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Reunite' by Isbells.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

After three long and tiring weeks of exams, assignments and work, I was finally done with school. There was nothing more that I could do now, I'd done everything in my power.

I had finally finished.

The relief was immense, the weight being finally lifted from my shoulders. After years of grafting and studying and working my ass off for this, my work was complete and I was free to pursue the job I'd always wanted. And thankfully I already had that job.

I could now work for WWE fulltime.

I was lazing on the sofa of my home, kicking back and relaxing after all my hard work with a bag of popcorn, catching up on last week's Raw that I'd recorded as I had unable to watch it at the time due to studying. It was a Sunday night, and the smile wouldn't leave my face as I watched knowing my flight was booked for tomorrow morning and I'd be on Raw live tomorrow night.

It had been a long three weeks back home, and as I watched the show I realised how much I'd missed it. The places, the people, the roaring cheers of the crowd every time I stepped out there. It was addictive and I wanted nothing more than to be back there and soak it all up again. It had honestly been the greatest time of my life and I never wanted it to end.

I smiled as I watched Dolph on TV, pinning Stardust for the victory. The sooner I could get back to my big brother the better! I'd missed the guy like crazy. I'd gotten so used to him during my time on the road that it was strange being so far apart from him for so long. He was an awesome man and excitement filled my body as I knew I'd see him at the airport tomorrow when he picked me up.

Lana was also out at ringside with him, cheering him on, filling the valet spot I'd vacated whilst being back home. She was doing an excellent job and it made me wonder how much he'd need me now he had her. Lana and Dolph hadn't just been thrown together, they had formed a real bond and that was clear to see on screen. I hoped I'd still be valeting him out to the ring still, but I wondered how much of a part Lana would play now too.

Next was a one on one match between Sheamus and Seth Rollins, and my smile grew ever wider as I saw Dean come down the steps with his brothers. I'd never missed anyone more than I'd missed Dean in these three weeks. If I thought missing Dolph was bad, it had nothing on Dean.

I yearned for him, pined for him, needed to see him. It made me realise how important he was to me and how he truly was my best friend in the whole world, even in the short time we'd known each other. Sure, we weren't exactly romantically linked except for one spontaneous kiss, but he was fast becoming my most favourite person in the world.

His hair was wet on his head as he leapt over the barrier, his face threatening, ready for the match. I watched, seeing how cool he was and why he was such a fan favourite.

We'd spoken very little over the three weeks due to his hectic schedule and my constant need to work and study, only sharing one phone-call and a few text messages. But I knew I'd finally see him tomorrow at long last. However the most exciting aspect about my return was I hadn't told him when I was coming back. I'd kept it secret and was hoping to surprise my best buddy at the arena tomorrow and give him a shock.

His face would be a picture, as would Roman's and Seth's.

Seth won his match, the show winding down after that, finally coming to an end. I pulled out my phone, dropping Dean a text message.

 _Tell Seth congratulations on the win. I'm finally catching up on last week's show. Was good to see Sheamus knocked down a peg or two._

I received a reply within minutes.

 **The bastard never had a chance. Shame I couldn't do it myself. How's finals going?**

 _Good. Will be glad when they're over._

I still wanted to keep my arrival back at Raw a surprise, so I kept up the façade that I was nowhere near finished with school work.

 **Same. It's not the same here without you.**

I blushed profusely, that familiar tingling appearing in my stomach that only happened when it came to Dean.

 _Not long now. I'll be back soon._

 **I can't wait. Have been training so about to hit the showers. Speak to you soon x**

I smiled at the screen of my phone, unable to keep in the excitement of seeing my friends tomorrow. It was late so I switched my television off and made my way up to bed, eager to sleep, wishing it was already the next day.

xXx

"MADDIE!" Dolph yelled the next day as I exited arrivals in the airport. He was waiting at the other end with Lana, the Russian holding up a 'Welcome Back' sign. I wheeled my case over to him, wrapping him up in a big warm hug.

It felt so good to see him again. "Hey, big bro."

"Boy, am I glad you're back."

He finally let me ago, allowing me to hug Lana, and we all exited the airport, heading to his car. He placed my case in the trunk and we all got inside, heading for the arena.

"So have you missed me?" I asked from my seat in the back.

"Course I have!" he smiled. "Hasn't been the same without you. The Dream Team is finally back together."

I laughed. "Well Lana has done an excellent job whilst I've been gone."

"Thank you, Maddie," she smiled. And she had. The crowd loved her, constantly cheering their need for her.

"We heading straight to the arena?" I asked curiously.

"We sure are," Dolph replied as he sped down the highway. "The show starts in a few hours and I need to warm up."

"And The Shield guys still don't know I'm coming?" I asked excitedly.

"No, your precious Shield don't know you're coming. And neither do the twins. I don't know what your obsession is with those men anyway," he sighed.

"They're my friends," I said. "Don't judge. They're good guys."

"If you say so," he said, having still not warmed to my friendship with them.

It didn't take us long to get the arena and we soon headed to our locker room, changing ready for Raw. I changed into my usual ring gear and informed my brother that I wanted to go find my friends. I was far too excited to see The Shield and the twins to wait any longer.

The first person to greet me upon my return however was Stephanie McMahon. "Ah, Madeleine! Welcome back!" She shook my hand warmly. "How did your exams go?" she enquired.

"They were good," I smiled. "I'm just eager to get back to work."

"Well it's good to have to back," she said. "We've missed having you out there each week. Having both you and Lana now will really boost Dolph's profile."

 _Ah, just as I thought…_

"So it'll be the two of us?"

"For now, yes. I think the crowd will love seeing the two of you out there with him. So go out there and just do what you always do. The fans will be glad to see you back."

I hurried quickly to The Shield locker room after my talk with Stephanie, eager to see my friends. I knocked on the door three times and waited, bouncing excitedly on my feet. Roman opened the door within seconds.

"Surprise!" I smiled.

"Madeleine!" he shouted happily, picking me up in a hug, causing me to laugh. "What are you doing here? You never said you'd be back tonight." We entered the locker room. "Dean said you wouldn't be back till next week."

"Well I wanted to surprise you guys," I grinned, the Samoan putting me down. "And it definitely worked." Seth emerged from the bathroom after a phonecall with his girlfriend, his face beaming as he saw me.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he laughed as he embraced me. "How did finals go?"

"They were a success," I replied. "Just happy they're finally over." I glanced around the room, knowing exactly who I was looking for. "Where's Dean?"

"Running late," Seth said. "The idiot went into town this afternoon and he wasn't back by the time we left. He'll be here soon though."

 _Oh…_

I sighed, annoyed that he wasn't here to see me upon my return, but I knew I'd see him later on. He had a match tonight so he'd show up.

"Well don't tell him I'm here if you see him first," I said. "Wanna surprise him and see the look at his face."

"We won't say a thing, baby girl," Roman smiled. "Glad to have you back." He ruffled my hair in a brotherly manner.

I bid them farewell since I had more people to see before the show began. After seeing The Shield I headed to the canteen, seeing the twins. Nikki's scream as she saw me was enough to deafen everyone in there.

"You're back!" she joyfully said. "You're back!" She practically jumped on me, almost knocking me to the ground.

"Happy to see you too, Nikki," I said, trying to regain my balance and calm her down.

"How did it all go?" Brie asked, pulling her sister from me. "Do you think you've passed?"

"I hope so," I said. "Just glad it's all over with." I went to grab a cup of coffee, the twins grabbing some too.

"We have missed you so much," beamed Nikki. "We need a girly catch up. I want to know how everything went."

"Oh definitely," I said, sipping on my drink. "A girl's night out is well overdue."

We took a seat and chatted for half an hour before Raw began, discussing my exams, how things had been at work, how John and Daniel were.

"Have you seen Dean yet?" Nikki asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. Seth said he's running late."

"I'm not surprised," noted Brie. "He's been quiet as of late. He's not been his usual self around work."

"He hasn't?" I asked, sipping on my coffee.

"I think he's been missing our little Maddie far too much," smirked Nikki, nudging me with her shoulder.

I blushed profusely. "Doubtful," I tried. "He's probably just tired from work."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," giggled Nikki. "But it's pretty obvious what's wrong with him."

I didn't want to focus on Nikki's words or take them to mean anything. The Shield were so in demand right now that I knew he was constantly tired from work. It had nothing to do with me being gone for so long.

But I did want to see him and I wanted to see him soon.

I knew The Shield weren't due into the ring until the middle of the show, so I sill had ample time to find him. This was certainly putting my whole surprise plan into disarray. Only Dean could be late when I had an entire skit planned out in my head!

Eventually the twins stood up from the table and left for their match, so I took this as my cue to go find him, hoping he'd arrived by now. I went to their locker room, finding absolutely nothing in there, including Roman and Seth. Now I'd lost all three of them and Dean was bound to find out I was back before I'd even had chance to surprise him.

I knew I'd have to hurry.

I searched the corridors of the arena, many of the Superstars and Divas stopping to welcome me back and ask how things went. I checked everywhere, even asking some of the guys to see if he was in the men's toilets. But no, he was nowhere.

And then it occurred to me where he could possibly be. My mind flashed back to our kiss and the fact that we were in the back where the lorries were parked, knowing he liked the silence and solitude he got by going there. So I rushed, running to see if he was where I thought he was.

I grinned widely, seeing him sitting on some crates, his headphones in his ears, eyes closed on his handsome face, just like I'd found him all those weeks before. Thankfully the terms of our meeting were a hell of a lot different from last time.

Our last meeting here was sad, toxic, vile. But this one was cheery, happy, bright.

I slowly approached him, watching as he nodded his head in time to the music. I gazed at him for a while, taking him in. He was in his ring gear, his hair fluffy as he was yet to wet it. His head was leaning back on the wall behind him and he looked the picture of calmness, really listening to the music to get him geared up for his match. He looked just as I remembered him.

I stepped a little closer, my heart beating nervously. I'd missed him so much over these weeks, and it had been strange not seeing him every day. I'd gotten so used to him that not being around him for so long felt odd and off. But now here he was, and I could see him and The Shield as much as I liked.

He opened his eyes and looked down to change the song on his Ipod, but not before they caught me first. He froze, his eyes widening as he took in my form standing in front of him.

I smiled. "Surprise!" I said.

"Maddie…" he said is disbelief.

"Bet you weren't expecting to see little ol' me, huh?" I chuckled.

He didn't respond. Instead he threw his headphones out of his ears, jumped from the crates and bolted towards me faster than I'd ever seen him move before. He suddenly grabbed me, wrapping me up in his arms and carrying me close. I snaked my arms around his neck, my legs wrapping around his waist as he lifted me, twirling us round, causing me to giggle.

He buried his face in my neck, holding me tightly, almost afraid to let me go in case I disappeared again. I could feel his breath tickling against my skin, the tingling appearing in my stomach again. It wasn't until he was this close to me that I realised I couldn't be without my best friend anymore. We were inseparable, and this was now confirmed by me finishing my exams.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you, kid," he mumbled against my neck. He'd finally stopped twirling us, but he refused to put me down.

"Missed you too, Ambrose," I smirked, noticing him squeeze me tighter.

He pulled back to look me in the eyes. I'd never seen his face look so happy or his eyes so sparkling. He looked genuinely blissful, like it was his birthday and Christmas all at once.

"You told me you weren't back yet," he said, his fingers slowly stroking my cheek, checking if I were real.

"Well I thought I'd surprise you all," I grinned. "It worked well."

"No kidding," he said, burying his face back in my neck, hugging me even tighter. I giggled, resting my head on top of his, stroking the soft hair at the nape of his neck, feeling utterly blissful in that moment.

Yes, I was fucking glad to be back.

"And you're back for good this time?" he mumbled hopefully against my skin.

"Yes, Dean. I'm here to stay."

I felt his lips curl into a smile, his arms encasing me warmly and protectively.

"Good…"

Yet little did we know our little private moment was being watched by more than our own eyes. Stephanie McMahon had witnessed the whole thing.

* * *

 **A gigantic thanks to** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **calwitch** **,** **Blue Moon Solstice** **, Angel and Raaeebrucee for their lovely words about the last chapter. I love hearing all feedback so don't forget to leave me a couple words in the review box below. Thank you muchly**


	15. Master Plan

**Was'up!**

 **How are we all, my lovely readers. Two chapters in two days, aren't I good to you? Hehe.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Master Plan' by Adam Lambert**

* * *

Stephanie McMahon's Point Of View

I sat at my desk after Raw, calling Randy Orton into my office. I'd told Hunter what I'd witnessed backstage and he agreed with the plan of action I'd come up with.

The last thing I'd expected to see was the Lunatic Fringe Dean Ambrose getting up close and cosy with little Madeleine Ziggler. They seemed the exact opposite personality wise so the sight of them together was a major surprise. One was insane, unstable, menacing, and barely spoke to anyone apart from his team mates. The other was pretty, sweet, quiet, and the girl next door. What I had not expected was them embracing upon her return back to WWE in such a close and intimate manner.

But as the woman in charge of this corporation, I always knew when I saw something that could be benefit me and my company. This could definitely be fantastic for everyone involved, as well as the fans.

And Orton would be the perfect man to help me with this. I'd seen his obsession with the girl grow over the weeks, and I knew he would gladly take part in this little idea of mine. Dolph would not be happy that his sister would be exposed like this, but if this worked the fans would roll in to see it and the storylines to come from it would be sensational. Ambrose and his little hounds had already interfered on Madeleine's behalf on a number of occasions, so the foundations for this were already set.

It was definitely best for business.

There was a knock at the door and I smiled, welcoming Randy inside. He took a seat opposite me and I rested my elbows on the wooden desk, hands clasped together.

"What can I help you with, Steph?"

"I assume you've heard about Madeleine Ziggler's return," I started.

He nodded. "I've heard she's back, yes," he said, leaning back in his seat, making himself comfortable.

"Well I've been talking with Hunter and we want to push the girl in a different direction," I said. "Since Lana has taken over the valet roll for Ziggler, it would make sense for Maddie to go elsewhere."

"Oh?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"We want to push her in the direction of The Shield. There's obvious chemistry between them and the girl, and there's already been instances on Raw where they've been seen as protecting her anyway."

"Don't I know it," Randy muttered, rubbing his jaw, the memory of her superkick coming back to him.

"Well that's where you come in," I smirked. "Whilst it would be easier to simply place her with them starting next week, that'd be no fun. She draws in the crowd and so do The Shield, so we want to unite them slowly, bring them together naturally instead of forcing it. Let the entire WWE universe see everything unravel onscreen."

"So what do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Be The Viper," I stated. "Do what you do best, Randy. Draw them to her, give them a reason to be there for her. Do what you need to do to bring them closer to her so they naturally fall into a team. This storyline could be amazing."

He smiled darkly. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"And we both know you want the girl. Use that, use whatever is going on in your head to make them fight for her."

"And I can do whatever I like?"

"As long as it's kept within the restraints of what we can show then yes you can. We are a PG show after all. But you're one of the company's greatest heels, Randy. I want you to show the world why."

He stood from his seat, rather pleased. "You won't be disappointed."

And I knew I wouldn't be. Maddie paired with The Shield was best for business. And Randy being the one pushing her there would create fireworks.

xXx

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

The next day I went out for lunch with Lana and Dolph before the Smackdown taping. I'd barely had five minutes with him since I'd been back so I was really looking forward to it, not only to see him but to also get to know Lana since they had now officially become boyfriend and girlfriend.

Although the baggage of her Bulgarian ex-boyfriend bothered me, I thought it was fantastic that my brother had found himself a lady he could be himself around and give his heart to. And you could see she felt the same, the love in her eyes sparkling every time she looked at him. I was pleased for him, for the two of them.

But whilst this blossoming little romance was lovely, it left me as a sort of third wheel, especially as Lana was now travelling with us. It wasn't exactly fun for them when they're sharing a bed and a guy's little sister is sleeping in the bed beside them being the ultimate cock-block.

They needed their space to be a couple, so I'd give it to them. I planned to get my own room for tonight at least. That way they could enjoy themselves as a couple and I wouldn't have to sleep with earplugs in over the fear of being scarred for life by hearing noises I did not want to hear from my big brother.

We went to a quiet little café, sitting on a table outside since the weather was lovely. I sipped on my water as Dolph and Lana gushed over each other, their hands held under the table where they thought I couldn't see them.

"You've done an awesome valeting job whilst I was gone," I said to Lana. "The crowd love you."

"Thank you, Madeleine," she smiled sweetly. "Not as good as you, of course."

I shrugged. "Bet Dolph's loving it now, two pretty blondes flanking him from either side as he walks to the ring."

He laughed. "Every guy on the planet is jealous of me right now."

"So how long have you guys been serious then?" I enquired.

"Since around the time you left to go back home," Dolph explained. "We went on a few more dates after the first one and we just took it from there." He looked at her lovingly and I could help the pang of jealousy that hid itself behind my smile.

I wished I could have something like that, someone who would look at me like I was the only thing in the world. Like I was the most important person in existence. Nikki and John had it, Brie and Daniel had it, and now Dolph and Lana had it.

It must be an amazing feeling to know someone loves you just as much as you love them.

"Well I think it's great," I said, raising my glass. "I'm so happy for you guys."

They raised their glasses too, all of us clinking them together in celebration of the new couple. Our food finally came and we passed the rest of the lunch in relative happiness. We learnt all sorts about Lana, about her childhood, how she got into the business. We told her many anecdotes about Dolph and I growing up, all of which made her laugh. I really liked her, and I liked how happy my brother was.

They were perfect for each other and I couldn't be more pleased for him.

xXx

The Smackdown taping was a success, the show going without a glitch. I came out to the roar of the crowd, lapping up every moment. I'd missed it so much, the cheers and applause completely addictive. I'd never get bored of it, not ever. Dolph had won his match and we left the arena that night with smiles on our faces.

The Shield boys had not had a match so were not there that night, but I looked forward to catching up with them tomorrow. Dean had been texting constantly, asking me when I wanted to hang out with them all. Now I'd gotten my meeting with Dolph and Lana out the way, I was more than ready to spend the day with them all tomorrow.

But first things first was getting my room for the night. I'd explained the situation to Dolph and he felt guilty first, worried that he was pushing me out. I explained that he wasn't, telling him that every couple needed their privacy and he soon came round to the idea. So I packed up my case, throwing in everything I needed for an over night stay.

"Right, I'm gonna go sort a room," I said to him as he relaxed on his bed. "I'll be back in a moment."

"No problem, sis," he replied, channel surfing the TV.

I rushed down to reception and headed to the front desk, my credit card in hand ready to pay for the room. The desk was empty as I approached so I rang the bell, waiting for someone to serve me.

"So the rumours are true. You are back," said a voice.

I turned around, my mouth going dry as I saw Randy Orton smirking down at me.

 _Great. What does he want?_

"Yeah, I am," I said, turning back around, ringing the bell again.

This was the last thing I needed, especially whilst I was on my own with no back up. I wished the concierge would just hurry up and arrive so I could sort the room and just get away from him as quickly as possible. I didn't want the drama.

"How did the exams go?" he enquired, standing next to me, resting his elbow on the desk.

"Good, thanks," I said, not looking at him, ringing the bell again and again and again, urgently needing someone to show up.

Randy Orton hadn't bothered me since my superkick to his face, and he was never the kind of guy to take that sort of thing lying down. He'd have been pissed, and now he was here and I wasn't sure what he'd do.

His hand suddenly covered mine, stopping me ringing the bell.

"Hey, calm down," he chuckled. "You're gonna break it."

I quickly snatched my hand away, not wanting him touching me. I looked up at him warily. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to welcome you back," he said. "Is that such a crime?"

 _When it comes to you, yes!_

"Is there a problem here?"

I turned, my body visibly relaxing when the welcoming sight of Roman Reigns came into view. He was heading towards us, Randy taking a tentative step back once the Samoan was beside me. He looked at Orton with narrowed eyes.

"No problem at all," replied Randy. "Just telling Miss Ziggler here welcome back."

"Well now you've done that you can leave," Roman said, Orton smirking.

He looked down at me. "Till next time, Maddie," he said, walking away, not another word leaving his lips. A bitter taste filled my mouth at his words, not liking the fact that he intended to see me again in the future. But I had The Shield now, I'd be safe from anything he had planned… right?

Roman smiled down at me once he'd gone. "Dean's right, you really do attract trouble."

"Thanks, Roman," I said gratefully. "That guy does not know when to quit."

"Glad I got here in time, you looked uncomfortable," he noted.

"Aren't I always when Randy Orton is around?" I said, smiling a little to make light of the situation.

"What are you doing down here anyway?" he asked.

"Just trying to get a room," I explained. "Figured I'd give Dolph and Lana their privacy and get out of their hair for a few nights."

"Well why don't you bunk with us?" he suggested.

I blinked, looking up at him. "With you guys? You sure?"

"Of course," he said happily. "There's more than enough room. There's the other half of a double bed, plus a pull out bed going spare in our room. And it saves you money. Makes sense really."

It kinda did.

"I'd like that," I smiled. "But let's just tell Dolph I got my own room." My big brother had still not warmed to my friendship with The Shield. So telling him I was sharing a room with them would send him crazy. This stuff was best kept quiet.

Roman just laughed. "Good idea."

So I went back upstairs, explaining to Dolph how I'd attained my 'own room'. He seemed to believe it, so I grabbed my case, wished him farewell and went down the hall till I reached The Shield's room. I knocked on the door and Roman quickly let me in. Seth and Dean were more than surprised to see me, especially with a suitcase.

"I said she could stay with us tonight," Roman explained. "Hope that's okay."

"Course it is," Dean smiled, taking the case from me, rather pleased with the turn of events. "You can have my bed, I'll have the pullout."

"You sure?" I asked. "I don't wanna put you guys out."

"Yes I'm sure," Dean smiled, wheeling my case into the bedroom. "Wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to not give you the good bed. I believe you called me that once, so I'm trying to stick to the name."

I laughed, kicking my shoes off and getting comfortable. Once I'd made myself at home, we all decided to watch a movie before heading to sleep. We were all growing tired near the end of it, all bidding one another goodnight as we made our way to our beds.

Dean and Seth began to prepare the pull out bed as I went to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and changing myself for bed. I emerged back into the bedroom to see all three guys tucked up and falling into the depths of sleep.

I smirked, seeing Dean with his back to me in the pullout bed. He was so kind to let me have his bed, especially considering he was the wrestler here and needed the better night's sleep. This was why my best friend was awesome. I switched the light off and got under the covers, nuzzling my head into the pillow and slowly drifting off to sleep.

Sleep was fine for an hour or so, until I was constantly being woken by noises in the room. Unable to stand it any longer, I sat up to see what was going on. It was tough to see in the dark but I looked over to see Dean constantly tossing and turning, rolling from one side of his bed to the other. He fluffed his pillows, threw the duvet off and on, but still he continued to fidget.

"Dean?" I whispered. "You okay?"

"Stupid bed," he murmured quietly so as not to wake the others. "Can't get fucking comfortable."

"Then let me have it," I whispered, just wanting to go back to sleep. "You take this bed."

"Nope," he said stubbornly. "If I can't get comfortable in this bed then there's no way I'm letting you have it."

I sighed and rolled my eyes knowing I'd get no sleep if he didn't stop the tossing and turning. "Look, this is a double bed. Why don't you just get in here with me?"

He looked to me sceptically and I could see his eyes sparkling even in the dark of the room. "You… you serious?"

"Yes," I replied. "Neither of us will get any sleep at this rate so just hurry up and get in. I'm tired." I pulled the covers back on the empty side of my bed.

He was hesitant at first and I could understand why. It was rather forward and brave of me to ask a man to share my bed, but it was hardly like we were gonna have sex or anything. It was merely two friends sharing a bed in order to get sleep.

 _Yeah, two friends. Two friends who have previously kissed. Two friends where one thinks the other is extremely hot and handsome!_

I pushed my subconscious away, ignoring her stupid words. No, this was simply a way for us both to get a decent night's sleep.

Dean finally agreed with the idea, getting off the pullout bed and slipping in beside me, covering himself with the duvet.

"Happy now?" I asked.

"Yeah, this bed is like sleeping on a cloud compared to that piece of shit," he chuckled.

"See? Much better," I replied. "Now get comfy and let me get some sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," he smirked as I rolled over and closed my eyes, a warm smile slipping onto my lips as I felt his arm subconsciously wrap itself around my waist, spooning me all night long.

* * *

 **Thank you to Flash96, raaeebrucee, DeanAmbroseGirl1, calwitch, Hollarious969 and Crazychiksxxxx for their kind words about the last chapter. I love you lovely lot!**


	16. Jealousy

**Hey!**

 **How are my gorgeous and lovely readers today? This story is so much fun to write and I am absolutely loving it. Your feedback has been amazing and I'm glad you're all enjoying it. I have so much planned for this. Plenty laughs, lots of drama and some awesome Dean and Maddie moments.**

 **So read on and enjoy!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Jealousy' by Will Young**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

As I finally woke from my sleep the next day and stretched out my body, I couldn't keep the smile from my face as I felt a hard chest against my back and a strong arm wrapped around my waist. He was warm and soft, the perfect thing to cuddle against, and I couldn't resist leaning back into him.

He moved a little in his sleep, burying his face in my hair, his arm holding me tighter.

I had to admit, this felt nice. It had been a while since I'd had a man in my bed. The last time was probably some drunken night at the student bar at college where I'd picked up some guy, brought him back to my dorm and fucked him till the drunkenness had caused us both to fall asleep. It wasn't nice and it wasn't pretty. But I'd been young, free and single, and both the guy and I would have gotten what we wanted out of the meeting.

None of it had been sweet or intimate or nice. Just some drunken lay whose name I'd forgotten by the next morning as I threw him out of my room. With Dean it was different. He was kind, funny, protective. He actually gave a shit and cared about me. He was my best friend and I couldn't have asked for a better person in my life.

This was completely different from those nights at college – we weren't drunk, we weren't fucking, and neither of us expected anything to come from it. Instead I got warmth, I got intimacy, I got company. I got a fantastic night's sleep and was in no rush to get him out of my bed the next day.

He mumbled something I couldn't understand, moving around a little behind me. His arm got tighter.

"Do you spoon every girl who offers you her bed?" I asked, a smirk lacing itself onto my lips.

"Don't act like you're complaining," Dean said smugly, his voice muffled by my hair.

"Never said I was," I giggled.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"7.30am," I replied.

He groaned. "Like fuck am I getting up at this time. I need at least three more hours and several cups of coffee to be able to function."

I laughed. "Well I was going to go down to the gym if you wanna join me."

"No fucking way," he said. "Dean needs his beauty sleep."

"Then can you let me go so I can get up?" I asked.

"Mmmm, ten more minutes of spooning first," was his reply.

xXx

After Dean had spent a sufficient number of minutes spooning me, I got ready and decided to go down to the gym to get in some training. I'd hoped Dolph would be down here but sadly he wasn't, so I'd be flying solo during this session.

I wasn't exactly bothered. Sometimes I preferred going to the gym alone. There were no expectations when I was by myself, I could do whatever I wanted and use whatever machine I wanted. And then when I was too tired to go on, I wouldn't be pushed further like I would be if Dolph or The Shield boys were here. I could stop, rest, and leave.

So it wasn't the end of the world. In fact I welcomed it.

I did my usual routine and jumped on the treadmill first in order to get my body warmed up and prepped for the rest of my session. I set the machine to an easy pace and did a good ten minute run, breaking a little sweat and loosening my legs up.

Next I did a few reps on the rowing machine, letting my arms warm up a little as I knew I eventually wanted to do some weights. Once I was done, I walked over to the weights, seeing a bench free.

I quickly picked the appropriate weights, put them onto my single barbell, lay back on the bench and began lifting. If I wanted this clothesline attack of mine to be powerful, I knew I needed to build strength in my arms. My superkicks were tried and tested, but the clothesline had yet to be apart from on Dean in the training ring.

Finding the weights easy, I decided to add more, pushing myself a little further. I managed these too so I added more and more, knowing I was probably pushing too far. My arms were already feeling weak and tired, but I was doing well, so I decided to add one more set of weights. I lay back on the bench and lifted it from the stand.

My arms wobbled a little as I tried to hold up the weight, but I couldn't. Yet before I had time to put it back on the stand, my arms gave way and it slowly fell onto my chest, the strength left in my arms making sure it didn't fall so quick as to hurt me. It knocked the breath out of me.

I tried to lift the barbell off of me but I couldn't, the weight stuck on my chest, trapping me.

 _Fuck…_

I began to sweat a little and panic, the weights slowly beginning to hurt my chest the longer they sat there. I pushed and pushed but my arms were too fucked to lift it.

"Help?" I tried, hoping someone was around like a worker or another gym-goer, trying with all my might to lift the apparatus off me. "Anyone?"

"You okay there?" a voice asked, and my mouth went dry as I saw Randy Orton approach.

 _Are you fucking kidding me?_

Of all the people in all the world to find me, why did it have to be him? He was the guy I'd consider my worst enemy, the man who won't leave me the hell alone. This with either really bad timing or someone up there fucking hated me right now

But what choice did I honestly have? It was either ask for his help or stay like this until the next person came past, by which point I could have seriously hurt myself. So I caved, I gave in, I pushed my stubbornness aside knowing he was my only option.

"Help, please," I pleaded.

Seeing my problem, Orton came to my side and carefully lifted the weights from my chest, placing them safely on the stand above me. I fought to catch my breath, a slight pain pulsing on my chest as I breathed in and out. He quickly came back to me, placing his hand on my back and helping me to sit up. I flinched a little at his touch, but he simply smirked.

"Better?"

"Much, thank you," I replied, trying to avoid eye contact, rubbing my skin a little in an attempt to ease the pain.

Randy Orton was never nice, so I had to wonder if he had an ulterior motive.

"Any time," he replied, moving to sit beside me on the bench. I subconsciously slid away a little, not liking his closeness. "Don't worry," he said, noticing me move. "I'm not gonna bite."

I cautiously looked over at him, wishing he'd just leave. I'd said thank you so there was no real reason for him to stay now. I just wanted him to go on his way and leave me be. So if he wasn't then I would.

"Well I should get going," I mumbled, standing up, Randy standing with me.

"You should get your chest checked out though," he said. "Those weights were quite heavy…" He lifted his hand, brushing a loose piece of hair from my face and I quickly recoiled, my eyes widening at his intimate touch. "We wouldn't want our little Maddie hurt now, would we?"

"No, we wouldn't," said Seth Rollins as he suddenly appeared at my side. I loved how The Shield always found me no matter what. Randy's stalking was annoying, but I'd welcome The Shield's stalking any day. I stepped closer to my friend.

"Calm down, Rollins," Orton smirked, his arms folded. "Was just making sure she was okay."

"Well you've checked so you can leave now," he said, his eyes never leaving The Viper.

Randy turned to look at me. "Well I can see when I'm not wanted."

"No you're not," Seth said sternly.

"If it wasn't for me she'd be in a lot of pain right now," Randy growled, but Seth didn't care.

"Then thank you. But you can go now."

Orton looked at me. "Still make sure to get yourself checked out." And with that he grabbed his gym bag and left.

Randy was creepy beyond words, and even though he'd helped, I was grateful to have Seth there in that moment. I watched Randy walk away, rubbing the top of my chest again to relieve some of the soreness.

"How does Orton always manage to find you?" Seth said, shaking his head.

"No idea. I suppose they call him The Viper for a reason," I suggested.

"I guess," he said before looking down at me, seeing me rubbing the skin. "You alright?"

"Dropped the weights onto my chest, I'm a little sore," I explained.

"May I look?" he asked.

I blushed furiously at his request, but it was exactly as if Seth was looking at my boobs. He simply wanted to examine the area of my body below my collarbone. It was completely harmless.

"Sure," I said, lowering the collar of my t-shirt a little so he could see. The skin was sore and red raw. "It doesn't look too bad, does it?"

Seth winced a little. "You've really done a number on yourself there, kid. But I have some cream that can sort that right out. I use it myself when my hands are sore after training." He bent down, taking a pot of cream out of his gym bag. "It's a fresh pot, and I have more back at the hotel. So you can go ahead and take that."

"Thanks, Seth," I smiled, examining the cream before putting it into my own bag.

"Apply it twice a day," he told me. "The stuff works wonders."

"Just like you guys," I joked, nudging him teasingly with my shoulders. "The Shield works wonders too."

He chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"You guys say Orton always seems to find me but you boys can't keep away either."

"Well we have to take care of our little Maddie," he explained, ruffling my hair. "People pick on you… well we don't take to that too kindly."

"Well I appreciate it," I smiled. "You guys are pretty menacing in the ring, but it's good to know I have the Hounds Of Justice looking out for me outside the ring too."

"All the time, sweetheart," he smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and hugging me from the side, kissing the top of my head. "You know we've got your back."

I wrapped my arm around his waist, giving my friend a small thank you for coming to my rescue once again.

A loud cough from the other side of the room made us look, our eyes landing Dean leaning back on the wall.

I wasn't sure when he'd appeared but he was staring at us, his eyes dark and hooded, his glare intense and strong. Seth removed his arm from me, smiling at his friend. I, on the other hand, stared back, seeing that Dean did not look himself.

"Hey, buddy," Seth grinned. "Didn't think you were coming down to train today."

"I had a change of heart," he said, his gravelly voice sounding a lot like it did in the ring when he was threatening some unsuspecting Superstar. "Don't you two look cosy." He began to walk towards us.

"Orton showed up again," said Seth. "Just making sure she's okay."

He looked between us both, and I could have sworn I saw a hint of jealousy in his eyes. Why he'd be jealous, I didn't know. Seth and I had merely given each other a friendly hug and nothing more. And why would he be jealous anyway? We weren't together, we weren't in a relationship. Yeah, we'd had our kiss and our spooning this morning, but we were best friends. And as amazing as Dean was, we were sadly nothing more. Besides, Seth had a girlfriend. Dean had no reason to be jealous.

"Well now that she's fine, I've come to take her for lunch," he said, grabbing my hand possessively in his, lacing our fingers. My heart pounded at his touch and at his dominance. I'd never seen Dean like this before.

"Sure," Seth smiled, none the wiser to Dean's emotions and mood. "I'm about to start my training anyway. Have fun, guys."

Before I'd had time to respond, Dean had dragged me out the gym, pulling us to elevator. We waited for it to arrive and stepped in when it did, the door closing. He pressed the button for our floor and we waited to go up, the two of us standing in silence.

It felt awkward, tension radiating from Dean as he stood there. My hand was being squeezed in his and I wasn't sure he even realised he was holding it so tight.

"Dean? You okay?" I tried.

"Fine," he said, refusing to look at me.

I sighed, the elevator reaching our floor. We exited, heading to the hotel restaurant, having the most silent and awkward lunch two people had ever had.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to calwitch, finish-her, Ashley and Crazychiksxxxx for their lovely words about the last chapter. Don't forget to keep the favourites, foloows and reviews coming. It only takes a few seconds to pop a couple of words into that box below.**


	17. Lets Get Lost

**S'up!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath, my lovely readers.**

 **Well, it's taken us 17 chapters but we're finally gonna get our first glimpse into the head of the lunatic. Let's see what is going on in the crazy little head of Dean Ambrose…**

 **This chapter is named after 'Lets Get Lost' by Beck and Bat For Lashes.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I received a text on my phone.

"So Nikki and Brie said there's a big group night out tonight," I mentioned to The Shield as we sat in their hotel room. Mine and Dean's awkward lunch had been cut short due to the fact I was bored of asking questions and only receiving one word, monotonous answers. So we'd returned to the hotel room in order to hang out with people who would actually talk to me.

Dean was being a sulking little idiot and I didn't know for the life of me why. And since he refused to talk, let alone tell me what was wrong, I just left lunch early, claiming Dolph needed to call me briefly. I really didn't want to sit there, not getting a response, not getting any attention and being completely ignored because he was pissed off over something. It wasn't exactly my idea of fun.

This was one of the sides I hated of Dean. The guy was my best friend and utterly amazing. But when he was pissed off and when something had upset him, he completely shut the world out and acted like a complete dick. I'd witnessed this during the first few times I'd met him and it drove me insane. But since we'd decided to put the past behind us and become friends, I'd figured this wouldn't happen anymore.

Guess I was wrong.

He was now worse than ever and was refusing to utter a single word about his problems.

We were on the sofas, watching TV, Dean sitting by himself, refusing to acknowledge us.

"A night out?" Seth asked curiously. "Sounds fun."

"You guys in?" I asked.

"No," said Dean. "We're not going."

It was the first thing he'd said all afternoon. We all looked at him, wishing he'd snap out of this idiotic attitude.

"Why not?" I asked. "It'll be fun."

"Don't wanna go," he said, folding his arms. "Plus we're up early for training tomorrow."

"Fine, this dick-head doesn't wanna come," I replied, smiling smugly when I noticed Dean glare at me for my words. "What about you two?"

They looked over at Dean and sighed. "Dick-head has a point," Seth said. "We are up early tomorrow and I have a Skype date with Leighla tonight anyway. Besides if he's refusing to go we should probably keep him company."

"Stop calling me that!" he growled at Seth. He'd been pissed of with the architect all afternoon if I was honest. He refused to look at him or talk to him, these being the first words he'd muttered to him since our trip to the gym earlier that day.

"If you stop acting like a dick-head, we'll stop calling it you!" I responded. "Well I'm going out even if you guys aren't."

"Sure, baby girl," Roman smiled. "You go enjoy yourself."

And I planned to. Not only would it be good to get away from the moody lunatic, but I was excited to have a night out with the twins and the rest of the roster. I wanted to let my hair down and have fun. I was 22 years old, young and free. I couldn't wait.

So I excused myself to the bedroom, getting myself ready for the evening. I applied a touch of the cream Seth had given me earlier to ease my sore chest and opted for a skin tight sleeveless emerald green dress and black heels as my outfit for the night. It looked amazing against my pale skin and made my blue eyes pop. I styled my hair in lose waves and applied my makeup. I messaged Nikki throughout, agreeing with her that we'd meet down in the hotel reception in five minutes.

Spraying some perfume over myself and grabbing my purse, I exited the bedroom.

"Right, I'll try not to be too late," I told the guys. "And I'll be as quiet as I can so as not to wake you up when I'm back."

Three pairs of eyes landed on me.

"Wow," said Roman.

"Maddie, you look lovely," Seth smiled.

"Thank you," I replied, noticing Dean hadn't taken his eyes off me. They were dark and hooded in a way that made my stomach tingle. "Well I better get going. Have a fun evening, boys."

I waved goodbye and quickly made my way downstairs, meeting the twins in reception. They looked stunning as always.

"Hey, Maddie," Nikki said, hugging me in greeting. "Hope you're ready for a good dance."

"And to get your Brie-Mode on," Brie winked.

"Can't fucking wait! After the day I've had, I need a little fun," I said as we made our way outside and into a taxi.

It didn't take us long to get to the club and we made our way inside, the music blaring and the lights flashing brightly. Much of the roster was already there and we made our way over to Paige, Alicia Fox and Naomi once we'd spotted them. Even though the majority of my workmates were here, this was going to be a girls night, and a well needed one at that. Being constantly surrounded by males like my brother and The Shield meant I jumped at the chance to see my female friends. It's what I needed from time to time.

We made our way to the bar, ordering shots of many varieties. I knocked two back in succession, really planning to let loose tonight. Randy Orton had pissed me off, Dean Ambrose had pissed me off, and I planned to forget all that tonight and genuinely enjoy myself with my girlfriends. It had been forever since I'd done that, my life full of either school or WWE. I was finally gonna do what people my age do and have some fucking fun.

We hit the dancefloor next, shaking our hips to the music, forgetting everything that had gone on that day. The Orton incident at the gym, the Ambrose incident all afternoon, the fact that I was now having to share valeting duties with my brother's girlfriend. All of it.

All I cared about in that moment was enjoying myself with my friends and getting as many cocktails into my body as possible.

After dancing for three more songs, Brie and I went back to the bar, ordering more shots and cocktails, drinking them all quickly, really getting our Brie-Mode on. We giggled, clinking our glasses together, knocking back every drop of alcohol. Paige quickly found us, joining in, encouraging us more and more. I was beginning to feel hazy and I knew it was the drink affecting me. But I was too far gone to care really. I was enjoying myself after all so I carried on. We returned to the group, drinks in hands, and continued to dance.

"Maybe you should slow down with the drinks," Nikki suggested to me, shouting over the music.

"No, Nicole," Brie said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "We are having fun!"

"Yeah, Nikki," I giggled, my sight foggy and dizzy, the world swirling. "We're in BRIE-MODE!"

Brie and I giggled, stumbling around in our drunken stupor, falling onto some nearby seats, laughing our heads off.

"Right, you two have clearly had enough," Nikki said sternly.

"No," I giggled. "I want more!"

"More! More! More!" Brie began to chant.

"No way. no more!" exclaimed Nikki.

"Don't be a spoilsport," I said, Brie leaning into me, giggling.

"That's it, give me your phone," Nikki told me.

"Nope!" I said, shaking my head.

"Madeleine, I won't ask again. Next time I'll just take it!"

I didn't really want to get into a brawl with the Diva's Champion so I did as I was asked, handing it over to her.

"Why?" I asked, standing up, leaving Brie to sit on the chair, half lying across the table.

"You two clearly need to go home and I can't handle you both by myself," she replied. She pressed several buttons on my phone before holding it up to her ear. After a few moments she began to speak. "Hello? Dean? I need you to come down here."

"No!" I yelled, trying to grab my phone from her hands, but she turned away, avoiding me. My body was too drunk and disorientated to fully focus and grabbing my phone, so Nikki blocked me every time.

The last thing I needed was Dean fucking Ambrose and his moody attitude so come here and spoil everything. It would ruin my good mood and my fun night and I didn't want to deal with him. Plus he'd be pissed off that he'd have to go out of his way to come down here for me which would only serve to make him worse.

No, this was not what I needed.

"Yes… She's completely off her face… Yes… Great… Okay, see you shortly." She ended the call, giving me my phone back.

"Why did you do that? He's so annoying and sulky," I slurred. "Don't bring him here, Nikki."

"He's already on his way," she said, helping Brie to sit up straight, her sister simply giggling and poking her face.

"Isn't it weird how we look exactly the same?" she giggled.

"Hilarious," Nikki said sarcastically, keeping her sister upright.

I, on the other hand, did not want to be present when Dean Ambrose showed up all irate, livid and angry. I'd had enough of it at lunch and this afternoon. I wanted my good mood to stay and I'd do what I had to in order to maintain it. I could get home from here, it wasn't too far. I could manage it.

So whilst Nikki was preoccupied with Brie, I swiftly left the club, using the loud music and my crazy drunken friend as a distraction.

xXx

Dean Ambrose's Point Of View

The time between me ending the call with Nikki and jumping in my car was literally seconds. I shut the door, put my seat belt on and sped over to the club as fast as this piece of shit car would take me.

I wanted to kill her. I wanted to fucking kill her and ask her what the hell she was playing at. I'd told her before to watch how much she was drinking and to not get so drunk. Several times I'd mentioned knowing her limits and making sure she didn't go overboard. Obviously it went in one ear and out the other.

My fingers clutched the steering wheel as I drove, wanting nothing more than to get to her. Yeah, I had an early morning tomorrow, but that didn't matter at all right now.

Yes, she'd been foolish but I had to know she was okay. I'd panicked, my heart dropping when Nikki phoned, knowing she wouldn't phone for no reason. Maddie had clearly gotten herself into a state and I just needed to get to her and see her safely home.

I'd been pissed off all day, and I knew I was clearly over reacting, but I couldn't help but be mad. Seeing her so close to Seth got me mad, insanely mad. Mad to the point where I almost wanted to knock him out there and then. I knew it had been an innocent hug between them, but seeing them so close together made my blood boil.

His hands were on her, his arms around her, his lips had even kissed her head, and I saw red.

My feelings for Maddie had been… evolving lately, evolving in a way that both excited and terrified me. Excited me in the sense of I'd finally found a great girl who actually understood me and made me happy, but petrified as I'd never felt this way before and I wasn't sure how to process all this.

I liked her, this much I knew. But many barriers were in my way. Her brother, my Shield persona, my own insecurities.

Sure, Maddie treated me as her friend, but could a girl honestly ever like someone like me? Someone insane, unstable, on the edge. I wasn't your normal kind of guy. I'd never had a serious relationship in my life, always opting for flings and one night stands. I'd never seen myself as a relationship guy, never seen myself as someone who could give a woman everything she wanted.

I was a lone ranger in this world, fucking and leaving any woman who gave me her attention.

Then I met Madeleine Ziggler.

After that, everything changed. I began to wonder if something long term could be possible. I wondered if I could be a man who'd commit, who could settle down into a real relationship like normal people do. I'd never really found a woman I could do that with before, but with Maddie, everything fell into place.

She made me laugh, she made me happy, she made me feel emotions I'd always thought I was incapable of feeling. She got my heart racing, got my stomach flipping, she got me eager to see her each and every day, my mood always low when I didn't.

At first I tried to ignore it, not wanting to commit or make myself seem weak for being interested in some girl. I'd been rude to her, pushing her away, wanting to keep my lunatic persona strong in front of the other Superstars. I'd hated myself every time for hurting her and upsetting her. But my character and my job took priority.

Yet I soon got to know her, I struck up a friendship with her, and I finally realised perhaps I could have something more with her.

I'd even tried to show her once, kissing her one night before Raw. But I'd chickened out telling her anything else, passing the kiss off as nothing. I wasn't ready at the time and she certainly wasn't. She hated my fucking guts after all and even told me to fuck off. But since this friendship of ours had started, everything had been different.

We'd bonded, we'd gotten close, we'd actually proven we gave a shit about each other. And for me, that friendship was evolving into something potentially more.

So when I saw Seth around her at the gym, I got mad and I got jealous. I wanted to be that guy. I wanted to be the one hugging her. I'd seen Orton leave so I assumed Seth had stopped some altercation.

This got me even more pissed off. I wanted to be the one to save her, the one to drive him away, the one to protect her and be the knight in shining amour.

This anger was completely irrational, completely stupid, and totally over the top. But in that moment it wasn't. In that moment I saw another guy with the girl I liked. And I hated it.

She'd obviously seen my bad attitude and hadn't liked it. So now I could redeem myself. Now I could go to her, make sure she was alright and bring her home safely.

But that only led to another emotion… Worry.

I hoped to God she was alright. I'd witnessed first hand what she was like when she was drunk. The wooziness, the vomiting, the over confidence, the lack of control. She'd be completely vulnerable and I didn't even want to think about what could happen to her if she ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I needed to know she was safe and well. I needed to make sure too much of the alcohol hadn't gone to her head and that she'd be able to function properly. Then I could get her into the car, back to the hotel and put her safely to bed.

So I drove as fast as I could, needing to know Maddie was okay.

Nikki had told me where the club was so it didn't take me too long to get there. I parked up the car and rushed inside.

The music was loud, the lights intense and it made me realise why I hated people so much. The club was completely full, people brushing past me and getting constantly in my way. I knew I'd struggle to find them at this rate. I searched through the crowds, seeing face after face, but none of them the ones I wanted to see. I tried the bar, even the toilets, but they were nowhere.

I finally found them at a table. Well I say them, I found Nikki and Brie. I approached them, keys in hand, ready to grab Maddie and just get out of there.

Brie was hunched over, Nikki rubbing her back, trying to sober her up.

"Hey, I'm here," I said, alerting them to my presence.

"Thank God for that," Nikki said when she saw me. "Sorry about this, but I couldn't handle them both on my own."

"So where is she?" I asked, looking around. Uneasiness struck me when I noticed Nikki looking for her as much as I was.

"She was just here," she said. "Fuck, where did she go?"

"You lost her?" I shouted incredulously, running a hand through my hair.

 _Fuck…_

She was drunk, inebriated, vulnerable and alone. I knew she wasn't at the bar and I knew she wasn't in the bathroom. Which could only mean one thing…

She'd left.

I pulled out my cellphone, ringing her once, twice, three times. She didn't answer.

"I only turned my back for a second," Nikki tried, her voice laced with panic.

"I need to go find her," I said, quickly running out of the club as fast as I could.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to** **Tantoune** **,** **KairiAnneYukari21** **, calwitch,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **, Ashley and** **KakaLove** **for their lovely words about the last chapter. I love you all!**


	18. Undisclosed Desires

**Good day!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath. Bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter. Maddie's drunk and lost and Dean is worried and in search of her. Let's see what happens, shall we?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Undisclosed Desires' by Muse**

* * *

Dean Ambrose's Point Of View

I jumped straight in my car, switched the engine on and sped down the road as fast as I could, my eyes peeled for any sight of Madeleine in the dark streets. The panic was setting in as well as the worry. She was drunk, vulnerable and alone. She was easy picking for anyone willing to take advantage of her and this did not sit well with me.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly knowing time was against me to find her, every second I spent looking allowing her to get further away from me.

Why had she been so stupid as to wander out here alone? We were in a strange city and it was a dark evening. She had no idea what or who lurked out there, and she was in no fit state to find out.

Anything could happen, anyone could have her. She'd made a few enemies during her time with WWE and I hoped nobody found her. Images of Randy Orton flickered through my mind and I had to hope the guy wasn't that sick in the head as to go after her whilst she was drunk. He had this strange obsession with her, showing up at the most inconvenient times. Surely the bastard wouldn't come after her now; I had to hold onto that hope.

I wasn't afraid to admit I was genuinely scared as I drove. Maddie was so sweet and kind and innocent, and the fact that she was out there by herself in such an exposed state drove my fear sky high. A thousand scenarios ran through my head, each as bad as the last. I was by no means a religious man, far from it, but I silently prayed she was safe. I begged whatever God was up there that I'd find her unscathed and unhurt.

I wouldn't be able to take it if anything happened before I could get to her.

"Goddamn it, Maddie," I muttered under my breath.

I ran a nervous hand through my hair knowing I wouldn't feel comfortable until she was safe and sound and tucked up in bed with a glass of water and some painkillers for the headache she would no doubt suffer in the morning.

Street lights zoomed past, lighting my way around the city, my eyes looking down every street and on every sidewalk, focused completely on finding the little blonde I couldn't get out of my head. On several occasions I'd thought I'd found her, but I hadn't. It was always another girl or a trick of the eye.

I didn't need my mind teasing me; I needed it to find who I wanted.

I turned a corner, my body physically relaxing when I finally saw her, her blonde hair blowing in the night breeze. She seemed quite cheery, but she was drunk so I should have expected it. I had to smile in amusement as I watched her talking to a tree, but I was mainly flooded with relief. Relief that no one had taken her or touched her, relief that nothing had hit her or upset her.

She was here and she was well.

I'd found my Maddie.

I cut the engine, hopping out of the car and making my way towards her.

xXx

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I liked this tree, I liked it very much. It was tall, had the greenest leaves, and listened to every word I said. Yeah, it was a pretty nice tree. My favourite tree.

But my conversation with the tree was rudely interrupted when footsteps behind me caused my head to whip round, my blue eyes taking in the sight of Dean walking towards me. I folded my arms.

"Oh, look, tree," I said. "It's Dean Ambrose. Don't listen to anything he says, he's just a moody baby."

"Glad to see you too," he smirked once he reached me.

I held my hand up to my mouth as if to secretly whisper to the tree, but the whisper came out more as normal sounding words.

"He may be majorly handsome, but he's miserable today. So don't let him trick you, tree. He's just gonna talk shit."

He chuckled to himself. "That must be some tree, huh?"

"This tree is my best friend," I said proudly, my hands on my hips. "It listens to me and doesn't sulk in the corner like my other friend does."

"Well did you discuss with the tree why you decided to leave the bar alone, knowing you were this drunk and knowing I was coming for you?" he asked sternly.

I frowned and rolled my eyes. "Well you decided to be a Mr Grumpy Pants today for no reason so I decided to do something for no reason too."

I didn't want a lecture, I wasn't in the mood. And I was refusing to let Dean Ambrose ruin my happy euphoria. So I hugged the tree goodbye, telling it I'd come see it soon, and began to walk away, stumbling on my own feet as the alcohol shot straight to my head.

"Whoa, whoa," Dean said, quickly chasing me down. "No you don't. It's taken me long enough to find you as it is. I ain't leaving you again."

"I can make it home alone," I tried. "I'm only, like, a teeny bit drunk." I held my finger and thumb slightly apart, giving him the measurement of my inebriation. "I'm a big girl. I don't need help, especially from moody bastards."

"Only a teeny bit?" he questioned, his arms folded. "Is that why I just found you talking to a tree?"

"Hey!" I said with a frown. "Don't you talk bad about my tree!"

He sighed. "Look, why don't we just get you in the car, get you back to the hotel, then we can talk about this in the morning when you're sober?"

I shook my head in defiance. "Nope! I am out tonight to have fun, and I am not going to let a moody Dean Ambrose ruin that. You had the opportunity to come out tonight and you said no. So I am not about to let you ruin this for me." I began to walk defiantly away again.

"I'm not moody," he said, following me, walking by my side. "I just wanna get you home and get you to sleep."

I stopped walking. "Yes you are moody. You have been nasty to me and nasty to Seth all afternoon and that's not nice, Dean. I told the tree and the tree agreed."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I wasn't nasty to Seth."

"Yes you were," I accused. "You didn't speak to him or anything. You were so mean." I jutted my bottom lip out, that familiar feeling of sickness slowly entering my stomach that usual appeared after a night of heavy drinking. I was moving around too much and my heightened emotions meant the drink decided to make my body not feel its best. It never took me long to go from drunk to sick.

"It's just…" he hesitated, staring intently at the sidewalk below us. He let out a breath. "I wasn't nasty, I was just mad at him… And I know I shouldn't have been because it was totally unreasonable. He wasn't doing anything but my mind thought otherwise and I got upset."

"But Seth is so nice. What could he have done?" I asked, my hand resting on my nauseous stomach.

He sighed, finally looking me in the eyes. "He saved you, Maddie. He saved you from Orton and I wanted to be the one who did that. I wanted to stop him and protect you, and I hated that Seth got there first."

"That shouldn't be a reason to get mad at him," I said, my stomach making noises.

"You're so special to me, Maddie, and it kills me when I can't be the one to keep you safe. You mean the world to me and I want you to know that."

I wasn't focusing on his words. I was too busy focusing on the rising pain in my stomach. I guess this was why I didn't drink too heavily that often. Yeah it tastes amazing and the drunken feeling is addictive, but the sickness and hangovers afterwards are never ever fun.

"D-Dean?" I asked. But he didn't hear me, too lost in his ramblings.

"I want to be your hero, I wanna be the one who protects you and stands in his way, not Seth. I like you and I want to be the one who's there for you."

"Dean?" I tried again, but it was too late. I quickly turned away, rushing to the nearby wall, hunching over and vomiting up every shot and cocktail I'd drank that night.

"I know I should have… Oh shit!" he said, rushing over to my side, holding my hair back and rubbing my back soothingly. "That's it, get it all out, darlin'"

My head pounded as my stomach wretched, my body heaving everything up. There was nothing more horrible, degrading or embarrassing as vomiting in the street with a hot guy watching you. I felt awful, not just physically but emotionally too.

I'd known Dean only a few months but this was the second time he'd had to help me like this after the affects of too much alcohol. He'd warned me about this last time, but I was too busy focusing on having a fun time that I forgot to pace myself and limit myself to what I could handle.

I felt stupid, I felt pathetic and I felt like a complete idiot.

But he didn't say anything. He just carried on being the best friend a girl could ever ask for, holding my hair from my face and rubbing my back tenderly. There was no lecture from him, no 'I told you so', no rubbing it in my face that he was right. There was just comfort, warmth and friendship.

I coughed once I'd finished, Dean quickly handing me a tissue to wipe my mouth. I finally stood, my head split in two.

"Dean… I don't feel so good," I said, looking up at him, feeling sorry for myself.

"You don't say," he smirked.

I leaned forward, resting my forehead on his shoulder, groaning at the lingering pain in my stomach. He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into a hug, the other hand stroking my hair. This was what I needed right then. Someone to lean on, someone to comfort me and tell me it was all okay. I needed somebody to take care of me and sooth me whilst I was at my weakest.

I knew I could always rely on Dean to be that person. This was why he was so great.

I breathed in his scent, letting it take over me and calm my drunken body down. "Mmmm, you smell good," I mumbled. "Like peppermint."

He smelt delicious.

He gently pulled my head up to look at him, his sparkling blue eyes boring down into mine. His smile was sweet, genuine, making him look so young and carefree. I loved it when he looked like this. He wasn't the lunatic in this moment, he wasn't a Shield member or a Hound Of Justice.

He was just Dean.

"How about we get you home and rested, sweetheart?"

I nodded, knowing this to be the best idea.

"Yes please, that sounds good," I smiled, Dean pressing his lips to my forehead, kissing me lightly before guiding me back to the car.

xXx

My head was absolutely pounding the next day when I woke up, my mind failing to remember a single thing that had happened the night before. I could vaguely recall dancing with the twins, and Dean showing up, but that was literally it. All other details were fuzzy, and the more I tried to remember, the worse my head hurt.

So I stopped trying, closing my eyes and hoping anyone I was with last night would fill in all the missing pieces.

I'd drunken more than I thought and today I was paying for it. Even the sound of Dean opening and closing the bedroom door as he entered was enough to make my brain ring. He'd done his morning training and had obviously returned.

"Ouch, not so loud," I mumbled, my hands clutching my head.

"Sorry, kid," he replied, bringing over some painkillers and a tall glass of water. "Just figured you might need these this afternoon." He placed them on the bedside table.

"Afternoon?" I queried. "What time is it?"

"It's 2.30. You've been out of it all morning."

"Damn. Was I that bad last night?" I asked, almost knowing his answer before he'd even said it.

"Well let's put it this way, when I found you, you were having a full blown conversation with a tree."

I groaned, resting my arm across my face. "Jeez, I must have been pretty fucked up."

"Like you wouldn't believe," he chuckled.

"I don't remember anything," I said. "The whole night is a blur."

His eyebrows furrowed, his eyes shooting to me. "Not a thing?" he asked with concern.

I pulled my arm back, looking over at him. "Nope. Not a thing. I dread to think how much I'd drunk to get that bad. I'm never going Brie-Mode again."

"Wait… So you don't remember anything I said to you at all?" he asked with a frown.

"I'm afraid not," I said. "Hope it wasn't anything too important."

He looked lost for a moment, but quickly composed himself. "Uh, no. Just a lecture on not getting so drunk."

A part of me knew he was lying, but I was too hungover to argue it, so I just accepted his answer. "Believe me, I don't need a lecture. After the way I'm feeling, I'm never touching alcohol again."

"That's what they all say," laughed Roman as he entered the bedroom. "Trust me, you'll be having a drink before the end of the week."

"I doubt it," I said, sitting up and taking the painkillers, downing the water quickly. "I'm going teetotal."

"I'll believe it when I see it," he chuckled, leaving the room once he'd grabbed what he needed.

"No more drinking for a long fucking time." I looked to my best friend. "Thanks for fetching me, Dean," I smiled.

I looked over at him but he was still trying to process all my words. "You honestly can't remember anything?"

"No," I said. "I'm sorry. Was there something I should have remembered?"

"No," he said, standing up. "No… Just, uh, just make sure you get some rest. I'll bring you some food in a minute."

And with that he swiftly left the room, the heartbroken look on his face making my head hurt even more.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to** **Hollarious969** **, calwitch,** **Blue Moon Solstice** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **KairiAnneYukari21** **,** **Tantoune** **and Ashley for their lovely words about the last chapter.**

 **Much love.**


	19. Bad Things

**S'up!**

 **Another day, another chapter. This is a chapter I've really been looking forward to writing and I really hope you guys like it. I personally love Randy Orton, the guy is fantastic. But for my story I needed him to be a complete dick haha! So whilst I hate him here, I bloody love him normally.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Bad Things' by Jace Everett.**

* * *

Stephanie McMahon's Point Of View

I tapped my pen impatiently against my wooden desk, awaiting the knock on the door that would indicate to me Orton was here. I'd requested his presence the second he got to the arena, needing to see him immediately and without question.

I was slowly getting frustrated with The Viper, my orders to him to push Madeleine Ziggler towards The Shield not exactly going to plan. It had been a few weeks since I'd asked this simple task off him, and she was no closer to being with them on Raw then she was at the beginning.

She still remained with her brother.

Yes, she was very close with them away from the screen, but that was not best for my show or for ratings. I needed it to play out in the arena and in the ring, not on the streets or their private lives.

This was what frustrated me the most and got me agitated. Every little thing Randy did happened elsewhere, never on Raw or Smackdown. It was no good doing it at the gym or a hotel reception. How could the viewers see that? How was that useful to my programme?

I'd given the job to Randy because I knew of his abilities, I knew he was a hard worker and would do exactly as I told him to do. He always did his job well and would make the show amazing. And yet he wasn't coming through on his promise. No, he needed to rethink his ideas. I wanted something to happen tonight on Monday Night Raw.

Three knocks sounded on the door.

"Come in," I said, the handle turning and Orton emerging. "Randy," I nodded in greeting.

"Steph," he said, taking a seat opposite me.

"Thank you for seeing me before the show," I said.

"Of course. Can't say no to the boss," he smirked. "Gotta keep her happy."

"That's just the problem, Randy," I began. "I'm not happy."

"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you recall my meeting with you a few weeks ago, asking you to draw Madeleine Ziggler towards The Shield?"

"Of course I do," he replied. "How could I forget?"

"Well it's not exactly going to plan, is it?" I said. "She's no closer to joining them. Whilst you're doing a wonderful job outside of the ring, it's not enough. Which brings me to the reason I've brought you here today."

"What would you like me to do?" he asked, getting comfier in his seat.

"Unite them on Raw tonight. Do something, anything you see fit to draw them out and bring them to her. Do something that will unite the four of them completely."

"I can do that gladly," he said. "And you know I always have tricks up my sleeve, Steph. But what if they don't come?"

I smirked. "Don't worry. They'll take the bait. Do something so they can't resist coming out for her. Show them and the world what The Viper is made of."

He sniggered. "I know exactly what will draw them out, Ambrose especially."

"Perfect," I grinned. "Do what you have to."

We stood and shook hands knowing Randy's actions would most definitely be best for business.

xXx

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I stood with Dolph in the back corridors of the arena, glancing at the board which told us the matches for the show that evening. My brother was up against Orton tonight yet again, a rematch from the Battleground PPV. I hated any matches or segments which involved Randy, especially after the hotel reception incident and the gym incident, but I knew Dolph and Lana would be there, and any back-up was welcomed when it came to The Viper.

He always made me uncomfortable and on edge, like everything he did was for dark or sinister reasons. Orton was a very black and white character. He was either extremely good or terrifyingly evil, and sadly I'd seen the latter side of him lately. Usually my brother or The Shield were around to stop him trying anything, but something about Orton and his presence made me feel unsettled, like something bad was bound to happen.

"I've got this one covered," smirked Dolph as he looked at the board. "I love having the chance to beat the shit out of that bastard."

"But you beat him before. Why are they booking a rematch?" I asked with concern and puzzlement. "I don't get it."

"Steph and Hunter always have their reasons," Dolph shrugged. "But if they wanna see me destroy him again, I'll gladly do it." He smiled, ruffled my hair and walked away to his locker room to get ready for the match, but I remained, staring intently at the board.

It didn't feel right to me, I felt highly uneasy and extremely uncomfortable with the entire situation. They'd fought twice before and Dolph had emerged the winner. Why keep pushing a feud where the winner had already been decided time and time again? It all felt so wrong. Regardless, I'd go out there with my head held high, ready to give Orton a fight.

"Who've we got tonight?" came a voice, the twins approaching me. I smiled when I saw them, Nikki staring intently at the board.

"Brie vs Naomi tonight," I said. They looked at each other, smiling in a knowing way.

"Easy, I can handle her," Brie smiled. "Who does Dolph have?"

"Orton," I said.

"Again?" asked Nikki. "Jeez, they must really love it when those two fight."

"Well it's because we always give the crowd a good match," said Randy from behind us, the three of us whipping our heads round to look at him. The twins glared at him, poised to fight should he try anything. He stared at the board, a smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like I'll be battling your brother again." He gave me a wink. "See you in the ring, Maddie." And with that he walked away, my body shivering at the look he gave me.

"What a creep," said Nikki in disgust. "I've never liked him."

And neither had I, my body feeling more and more unsettled every minute.

xXx

Dolph's music hit and we all emerged onto the stage, Lana one side of him and me the other. The crowd screamed and cheered for him as we made our way down the ramp and into the ring, Dolph the obvious crowd favourite for this match.

I fought to keep my heart rate calm as we waved at the crowd, absorbing their cheers, using them to boost us and gear us up for the match. The crowd never let us down, showing us time and time again how much we were loved and adored by them. As the music died down, we all turned to face the stage, knowing he'd be out soon. The music began and Orton appeared, slowly stalking down the ramp. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves as we watched him.

His face looked menacing, dark and creepy, an uneasy feeling entering my stomach. I never liked being around Orton, but tonight felt different and I couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong and this would not end well for us. Call it woman's intuition or just a feeling in the back of my mind, but everything felt a bit off.

But as Orton entered the ring and his music slowly ended, I had to put those thoughts away and focus on the fight in front of me. Lana and I quickly exited the ring, the bell sounded and the two men locked up as the battle began.

The fight went back and forth, Dolph having the upper hand, then Randy having the upper hand, then back to Dolph, the fight constantly changing. My brother was doing well, giving Randy everything he had, hitting him with superkicks, sleeperholds and Famousers. But Orton retaliated with powerslams, elevated DDTs and neckbreakers.

Lana and I rallied the crowd, strengthening their cheers for Dolph as both men continued fighting, the sweat pouring from them, both getting tired.

The fight went on longer and longer, and Randy finally began to feign. So Dolph took his shot, the cheers of the audience inspiring him to victory. He hit The Viper with one last superkick before using a Zig Zag, Orton dropping to the mat and Dolph pinning him 1-2-3.

The crowd were on their feet as my brother's music began to play, the ref holding his hand up in victory. Lana and I entered the ring to offer him our congratulations.

He'd done it. Yet again my brother had gone one on one with The Viper and had emerged victorious. He'd proved his worth and proved that in this match up he would always win and be on top. Orton had nothing on Ziggler, and he was proving that time and time again.

That was until Dolph's music was suddenly cut and The Authority's began. The three of us, along with the audience, looked to the stage, Triple H, Kane and Big Show slowly coming down the ramp. Dolph, as tired as he was, pushed Lana and myself behind him for protection, ready to fight for us if they tried anything.

 _What the fuck do they want?_

The uneasiness returned as the three men headed towards us, not totally sure why they would be down here. Dolph had won, it had been decided, there was nothing else to talk about. But it soon became clear why they were here.

They were a distraction.

Randy Orton quickly shot up behind us, whipped my brother round and hit him with an R.K.O. Dolph rolled out of the ring, falling to the floor with a thud. He was out cold.

"Dolph!" Lana screamed, jumping out of the ring to tend to him.

I stared at my brother with wide eyes, my body paralyzed with shock, wondering what the fuck was going on. Did they honestly hate him that much that four on one was the only way to bring him down?

I knew there was a reason I didn't feel right, and my intuition had been completely justified. Something was going on, something that would not end well for us, and I honestly didn't know how this would turn out. It was hard to keep calm in the moment and pure fear rose up and spread all over my body, the lump in my throat refusing to go down, my mouth running completely dry.

I turned to Orton.

"What the hell?!" I asked, my voice shaking.

Orton's response was the last thing I expected.

He was quick, swift, the move literally coming out of nowhere. Before I had a second to blink, his hands were round my neck and he hit me with an R.K.O, my body flopping onto the mat.

My head began to pound, my ears ringing as the world around me began to swirl. What the fuck had just happened? I could hardly make anything out, the boo's of the crowd a faint echo in the back of my mind. The room was spinning, as my head split in two, pain totally eclipsing my body and I felt totally disorientated.

I'd never been hit with a wrestling move before, but it had completely fucked me up.

I fought to breathe, the wind completely knocked out of me, and I had to wonder if I had a concussion. I'd hit the mat pretty hard, and I felt totally out of it, like I'd gone three rounds with Mike Tyson. It was easy to see why The Viper used this move as his finisher. There was no way the fight could ever continue after this.

I looked up at the swirling ceiling above me, Orton's face appearing in my vision. He was a blurred mess but I could make out that smug smirk anywhere. His sniggers were faint, but they could be heard over the ringing.

And then suddenly he was gone, a black blur knocking him out of the way and out of my sight. It pushed him to the mat, the crowd cheering at this turn of events. I carefully rolled my aching head to look at him, trying to see what had happened.

Dean had happened.

I could faintly make out Ambrose battering the shit out of Orton, his fists punching his face like a punching bag, showing no signs of stopping.

"You bastard!" I heard him scream, not giving a shit that Raw was a PG show. "You fucking bastard. How dare you touch her!"

The Shield's music had not hit and there had been no fanfare coming down the stairs, so I knew Dean must have simply come out alone.

I moved my hand to my head, knowing I needed medical help and I needed it soon. The ringing had become louder, my blood pulsing around my ears so fast the noise was deafening. I wanted to vomit.

Randy suddenly stood up having thrown Dean from him, the lunatic leaning with his back against the turnbuckle. He was sat down, his chest heaving with rage and anger. All of a sudden Kane and Big Show grabbed his arms from either side, holding him against the turnbuckle, trapping him from escape. He fought to get away, but it was useless, they had him securely. Orton threw a punch to his face, disorientating the lunatic a little.

"What's the matter, Ambrose?" Randy asked, hitting him with another punch. "Don't like it when I R.K.O your little girlfriend?"

He punched him again, Dean totally defenseless, but he took every hit he was given, my heart pounding with fear and love for the man who had come out here to defend me. I wished with all my might that I could get up to help him, but I couldn't. My body would not work and nor would my head. The R.K.O had completely incapacitated me, leaving me lying lifeless on the mat.

"That the best you got?" Dean smirked as he was hit again.

"Oh, you've seen nothing yet," Orton said. And then he turned from Dean and hit the mat with his fists, stalking towards me, entering his Viper mode completely.

I saw Dean begin to struggle then, trying with all his might to escape the hold of Kane and Big Show. But they held him tight.

"No! Get away from her!" he yelled. "Don't you fucking touch her!"

But Randy ignored him, moving towards me slowly. I tried to move, but my body screamed out in pain every time I did. I began to panic, my entire being screaming to escape, wondering what the fuck he was going to do. Dolph was unconscious, Dean was trapped, and Seth and Roman were nowhere to be found.

Dean's eye found mine and we stared at each other for what felt like a life time. I could see the horror and anger coming from his body, his blue eyes looking as terrified as mine, but I silently told him it wasn't his fault. He'd gone above and beyond for me, coming out to the ring like he had, and I would forever be grateful to him.

Orton was suddenly crawling over me, my wide eyes shooting to look up at him. He began running his nose along my neck, his breath warm across my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut in disgust, fighting to keep down the bile that rose in my throat.

 _What the fuck is he doing?!_

I heard Dean struggling again, knowing he was trying to escape and get to me. But what could he do against Kane and Big Show? They were two of the biggest guys in WWE. He didn't stand a chance.

Orton suddenly grabbed my jaw between his fingers and thumb, my eyes shooting open as he forced me to look up at him.

He turned to Dean. "If you hate R. , you probably shouldn't watch this…"

And then suddenly his lips were on mine.

I froze…

Paralyzed…

Numb…

I was in far too much shock to move…

He was kissing me…

I faintly heard a loud cry come from Dean's mouth, but all I could focus on was Randy's lips on mine, kissing me intimately, violating me in every way, making me want to be sick in my mouth. He had me exactly where he wanted me – far too weak to fight back, all my defenders incapacitated, and he could do whatever he wanted.

I knew he'd exact his revenge in someway, but I never expected this.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, a light scream coming from my throat. Tears built in my eyes, my weak body trying to fight back and escape. But it was no use. The R.K.O had destroyed any strength I had. I didn't stand a chance.

The crowd suddenly began to cheer and Orton abruptly let me go, leaving me on the mat in shock, moving away from me and out of my sight.

I could see from the large TV screen at the top of the stage that Seth and Roman had finally appeared, their faces angry, their bodies poised to fight. Kane and Big Show let Dean go, running to Triple H to block the path of the other two Shield members and aid the C.O.O of the company. But this only allowed Dean room to let his lunatic side loose.

An all out brawl began, Seth and Roman fighting on the ground whilst Dean launched himself at Orton. I watched him with wide eyes having never seen Dean this angry. He was relentless, angry, savage, completely filled with rage. He seemed possessed with fury and I was honestly frightened of him in that moment. He showed no signs of stopping, beating the living daylights out of Orton. I swore I saw blood seeping from Randy's face, but I couldn't be certain, my head still ringing and my vision still slightly blurred.

Big Show and Kane continued fighting on the floor as Triple H suddenly grabbed Orton's leg, freeing him from Dean's attack and pulling him from the ring, round to the entrance of the ramp. With The Authority down on the ground, The Shield took this as their opportunity to jump in the ring, all three of them surrounding me protectively, showing their loyalty to me like the precious hounds they were.

"Give me a mic! NOW!" Dean yelled, Lillian Garcia quickly grabbing one and handing it to him. He glared down at the four men at the floor below them, his jaw tense, his body shaking and twitching with anger.

"Keep it calm, Dean," I heard Seth murmur quietly to him.

"You think it's funny to attack a girl?" he spoke into the microphone, his voice teetering on the edge between anger and complete madness. "You think it's funny to attack a poor innocent girl and violate her like that? See, where I come from that ain't so funny. It's sick in the head, it's disgusting, it's fifty shades of fucked up. So it ain't happening any more. Hell no. Not ever! From this day forward, Madeleine Ziggler is under the unconditional protection of The Shield!"

He threw the microphone to the ground, The Shield's music sounding across the arena, the crowd going wild.

The Authority began to back up the ramp, seeing the seriousness of Dean's threats and statement. They knew what this meant and so did I. It was now all out war, The Shield vs The Authority…

And I belonged to The Hounds.

Dean quickly bent down and picked me up bridal style, cradling me to him gently.

"D-Dean?" I asked feebly.

"I'm here, darlin'," he said softly. "And I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

We all carefully left the ring, Roman picking up my unconscious brother from the floor, Lana still cooing after him with worry. I felt Dean softly kiss my forehead, not giving a shit if the crowd or other superstars saw. We headed up the ramp, heading swiftly to the medics, leaving the roar of the crowd behind.

* * *

 **A massive thank you to calwitch,** **Hollarious969** **,** **Tantoune** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **and** **Blue Moon Solstice** **for their kind words about the last chapter. You guys are wonderful and I love you all.**


	20. Hounds Of Love

**Hello, my lovely readers!**

 **Hope you're all well. I've had the maddest and busiest weekend that I'm surprised I've managed to get this chapter written and uploaded. But I did it; I don't want to keep my lovely readers waiting.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Hounds Of Love' by The Futureheads.**

* * *

Dean Ambrose's Point Of View

I was pissed.

I was beyond pissed.

I was seething.

Mad.

Crazy.

Angry.

I wanted to tare the building down brick by brick and break the bones of every person who stood in my way.

I'd never been this livid in all my life, and I was gunning for blood.

Authority blood… Viper blood…

I wanted to rip Orton limb from limb, chew the pieces and spit them back out in his face. I wanted him to pay, to suffer, to endure the worst pain I could dish out for him. It was a good job Triple H had dragged him from that ring because I was ready to kill the man in front of thousands in the crowd and millions behind their TV screens and not give a shit about the consequences.

How could they do that to her?

How?

Maddie was innocent, the girl was guiltless, the girl wouldn't harm a fly. She was someone who represented the good of this company, the happiness, the meaning of the term 'face'. All she'd ever done was support her brother like any good sister would, defending herself only on occasions where someone else had cast the first blow.

She wasn't a bad person, she wasn't even a wrestler or a fighter. She was a simple valet, a valet with no fighting experience or clearance to battle in a fucking ring.

Yet he'd hit her with an RKO, one of the deadliest moves in the WWE, launching himself at her like she was nothing. It's one thing to frighten her and attack her brother, it's one thing to even assault her with something as simple as a clothesline or superkick…

But an RKO?

No, that had been a step way too far.

I'd flipped, watching the entire thing play out on the screen backstage. The second she hit that mat, her body lying there lifeless, I knew I couldn't take it any longer. I'd bolted straight out there to defend her. I didn't give a shit about my reputation, I didn't give a damn if this was my storyline or not.

All I saw was one of my best friends and the girl I liked being hurt.

And as I carried her tightly in my arms, heading to the medic's office, I had to wonder what the fuck had gone through Stephanie McMahon's mind to let something like this happen.

Maddie clung to me, clutching my shirt desperately in her hands. If I was confused, god knows what she was thinking. All she'd come out to do was support Ziggler and she'd left with a massive bang to the head and probably one hell of a concussion.

It took everything in me to remain calm as we walked. I wanted to kill Orton, destroy Triple H and threaten Stephanie till I didn't have a breath left in my body. But I couldn't do that. Maddie needed me and I had to remain as calm and composed as possible for her.

She was the most important thing right now.

We reached the medics office and entered without knocking. They were already ready to check on Maddie and Ziggler having watched everything play out on screen. Roman and I lay them both down on the beds, Maddie groaning in pain, Dolph still out cold.

Preparing their tools, they ushered myself, Roman, Seth and reluctantly Lana out the room, saying they needed their space. I didn't like it but I did as I was told, the doctors needing to look at them without four pairs of gawping eyes taking up all the room.

We waited outside the room, Lana taking a seat, Roman leaning against the wall and Seth pacing back and forth.

Impatience was getting to me, and I knew I couldn't stand around waiting like the others. I needed to do something productive, and all that was on my mind right now was getting some fucking answers.

So I walked away, heading for McMahon's office. I didn't bother knocking, she didn't deserve such a courtesy. I just threw the door open, Steph sitting behind her desk. She didn't flinch or jump as I entered, so I knew she was probably expecting me to show up at some point. She just looked up at me, a sickeningly sweet smile upon her face.

"Ah! Hello, Dean?" she said. "How are you?"

"Cut the bullshit, Steph," I growled, marching up to her desk and planting my palms firmly on the wood. "What the fuck just happened out there?"

"What happened out there was best for business," she replied.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I said incredulously. "Hurting Madeleine and probably scaring her life was best for business? Are you honestly being serious right now?"

She let out a breath. "Whilst I agree that Randy went a step too far tonight, something which I will be having words with him for and punishing him over, this outcome was for the best."

I shook my head, unable to believe she was happy with what had happened. "You bitch… You're fucking insane. He fucking RKO'ed her through the mat!"

She smiled. "What's the problem, Dean? You have what you want now. I've seen how you are with the girl, it's obvious how you feel about her. We did this to push her towards you and now Maddie is protected by The Shield. She's all yours."

My hands balled into fists, my anger rising with every word that left her mouth. "So you did all this for a storyline?"

"Of course," she said. "And from the crowd's reaction I say it went over rather well. Together, The Shield and Madeleine Ziggler will be fantastic."

"She trusted you," I said, my jaw tense. "As her boss you should have had her back, you should have protected her."

"The only thing I protect is this company," she said sternly, rising from her seat. "And doing what Orton did was best for business. I'm sorry Madeleine got hurt and I'm sure the medics will help her out. But the outcome was satisfactory."

I wanted to kill her, I wanted to punch her face right through the wooden desk she was leaning over. I hated her guts right now. I took a step towards her, ready to show her how pissed off I was. She sensed an attack coming.

"Don't try anything, Ambrose. One move and I can have your ass fired in an instant."

"It'd be worth it," I growled.

Thankfully Roman popping his head round the door stopped me from doing anything.

"Dean, the medic has finally let us in, Maddie's calling for you," he said.

Stephanie smiled. "Your girl wants you, Ambrose. Tell her we wish her well."

I glared at her, disgust rising in my body. But I didn't fight her on her comment. Maddie needed me now, so I rushed out the door as quickly as my feet would carry me.

xXx

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I slept most of the car journey back to the hotel, needing my rest. The doctor said I didn't have a concussion thankfully but I'd taken a strong bang to the head and I was to miss the next Raw until I felt better. My head was pounding and I wanted nothing more than to get into bed and rest up. Dolph thankfully was fine too, given the same diagnoses as me. Sadly the fans would have to miss the Ziggler siblings for a week.

Roman drove the car steadily, Dean holding my hand tightly as we sat in the back seat, making our way to the hotel.

He'd been so lovely, coming to me when I called, being so sweet and attentive to everything I needed. He'd even carried me to the car, too afraid to let me walk in case I wobbled on my feet and tumbled over.

He was an absolute darling, he really was. I looked over at him with sleepy eyes as he stared at the window. His jaw was tense, his body stiff. He wasn't happy and I couldn't blame him. None of us had expected the outcome of the night and I knew he was trying to wrap his head around what all this meant.

This was all out war now.

Dean had not only declared me under The Shield's protection, but he would not take what happened lying down. None of The Shield boys would. The Authority had made enemies of three very pissed off hounds tonight, and I knew this wouldn't be the end of this on going fight.

It was just the beginning.

We finally pulled up to the hotel and parked up. Dean left the car swiftly and came round to open my door. He held his arms out to carry me, but I said no. I wanted to walk, I wanted to stand on my own two feet unaided. The Authority had belittled me enough tonight, I didn't want them making me feel completely useless.

I wanted to walk so Dean settled on wrapping his arm around mine, giving me someone to lean on as I moved. Seth and Roman grabbed our bags and we made our way up to our room.

Seth switched the lights on, Roman closed the curtains, and Dean led me straight to my bed. I wanted to do nothing but rest and sleep tonight. The whole event had exhausted me, and the doctor had told me to relax until I was fit to be on Raw again. He turned his back as I put my pajamas on, always being the gentleman, then finally eased me into the bed, pulling the covers over me.

"Here," he said, pulling a box out of one of his bags. "The doctor said to take these." He handed me the box of pills. "They'll help the pain." He rushed off to fetch me a glass of water as I took two pills from the packaging. He returned and I took the tablets, downing the entirety of the glass. I wiped my mouth. "How you feeling?"

"Head hurts a little," I said with a yawn. "But I'm mostly tired. RKOs sure take it out of you."

He stiffened at my words but quickly relaxed.

"Then get your head down and get some rest," he said, softly stroking my hair. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

I nestled my head into the pillow, letting out another yawn. "You're nothing but good to me, Dean. Did you know that?"

He smirked, lying beside me. "Gotta keep my favourite lady safe and happy."

I smiled as my eyes drooped closed. "Favourite lady… I like that…"

And before I knew it, sleep took over me.

xXx

 _I stared at my brother's unconscious body with wide eyes, my body paralyzed with shock, wondering what the fuck was going on. Did they honestly hate him that much that four on one was the only way to bring him down?_

 _I turned to Orton._

" _What the hell?!" I asked, my voice shaking._

 _Orton's response was the last thing I expected._

 _He was quick, swift, the move literally coming out of nowhere. Before I had a second to blink, his hands were round my neck and he hit me with an RKO, my body flopping onto the mat…_

I gasped, sitting upright in bed. I clutched at my chest, my breathing erratic, my body drenched in a cold sweat. The room around me was dark and silent apart from the gentle breathing of the three men around me in their separate beds. I wasn't in the ring and Orton wasn't here.

"It's just a nightmare," I whispered to myself like a mantra. "It's just a nightmare…"

I brushed my blonde hair from my face, fanning my top against my body in an attempt to cool down.

The images of the night kept replaying in my head on a constant loop, the memory of the attack hitting me again and again. I fought to regulate my breathing and cool off but it was no good. The nightmare had shaken me up.

I threw off the covers and silently tiptoed out of the bedroom, heading to the kitchen area to get a cool glass of water. The sleep had rested my head a little so I was able to get to the kitchen unaided and without incident, making sure I didn't wake the guys along the way. They'd dealt with enough tonight and needed their rest.

Once I had my cool glass of water, I sat on the sofa in the living area, sipping on it, staring into the blackness of the night air.

I wasn't sure what had happened tonight, but somehow I'd been on the blunt end of some fucked up man and his quest to bring my brother down. I wasn't sure why Orton had this problem with my brother and I, but he'd done something tonight I'd never expected. And I didn't mean the RKO.

I traced my lips lightly with the tip of my finger…

The bastard had kissed me, his lips had locked with mine and violated me in a way that I'd never experienced before. The action had been so intimate and intrusive that I still couldn't quite believe it had happened.

I'd always loved how the last man to have kissed me had been Dean, but Randy had totally destroyed that, kissing me closely and in front of another man like that. It had been possessive and threatening at the same time, pissing off Dean and upsetting me.

It made me want to be sick in my mouth. It made me feel dirty and disgusting and wrong…

I shook my head, sipping my water again.

An RKO, an unwanted kiss, and being declared under the protection of The Shield…

"It's been one hell of a night," I muttered quietly to myself.

I suddenly heard movement and looked to the bedroom door.

"Maddie?" I heard someone call from inside, the door bursting open. "Maddie?"

It was Dean, his eyes searching everywhere for me. He was panicked and worried and… shirtless.

 _Holy fuck… He's shirtless…_

I swallowed… hard, making sure my subconscious wiped the drool that was dribbling down her chin at the sight before me. There he stood in only his boxers. I'd never seen Dean shirtless before. I mean, I'd felt his muscles and his toned chest in the past, but I'd never seen it uncovered or in the flesh before.

I wasn't disappointed by what I saw. He was chiseled, tanned and very fit.

 _I just wanna go to him, get my tongue and…_

I quickly stopped my subconscious overtaking my thoughts by speaking to the very concerned man in front of me.

"I'm here. What's wrong?"

He visibly relaxed, coming to sit next to me, my body using all its strength to not look down at his topless body.

"The bed was empty," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I thought the worst."

"I just went to get some water," I said, showing him the glass in my hand.

"Sorry. After tonight I guess I'm a little on edge."

"Tell me about it," I sighed. "Stupid nightmares are keeping me awake."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Nightmares? What nightmares?"

"Just tonight replaying again and again in my head," I explained. "It's fucked me up, Dean."

He sighed, leaning over and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I rested my head against his chest, finding the soft pounding of his heartbeat surprisingly calming. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"He's not gonna come for you again. You know we've got your back, right?" he said.

"I know," I smiled. "I heard you claim it in front of the entire WWE universe tonight."

"And I fucking meant it," he said, squeezing me a little tighter. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again, okay? That is the last time The Authority screw one of us over. If this means all out war, I'll fight every last one of them or die trying."

I smirked, looking up at him, his blue eyes shining in the night air. "So dramatic," I giggled. "You're crazy."

He grinned. "Well they don't call me the lunatic for nothing. But I mean it, Maddie. They won't get you again. I'm tired of them thinking they can take advantage of people like that, good and innocent people."

I nodded. "What's happened has happened, Dean, but-"

"But it won't happen again," he finished. "The Hounds Of Justice don't like it when someone hurts one of our own. We'll protect you till the end, we promise."

I wrapped my arms around his waist, closing my eyes contentedly, resting my head upon his chest again.

"I love you guys…"

* * *

 **A gigantic thanks to** **Hollarious969** **,** **finish-her** **,** **angelsdee327** **, calwitch,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **Tantoune** **, Ashley,** **DeansGirlForlife,** **AngelsDestiny22** **and** **KakaLove** **for their words about the last chapter.**

 **This has been the most reviews I've ever gotten for a chapter, so thank you everyone! Don't forget to keep the reviews, follows and favourites coming.**


	21. Almost Lover

**Hola, readers!**

 **Two chapters in two days. I am good to you all!**

 **I absolutely loved writing this chapter and I am so excited for you all to read it. I guess you could call this major plot progression in a way. Man, I do love that slow burn…**

 **This chapter is named after 'Almost Lover' by A Fine Frenzy**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

The four of us made our way to the arena the following Monday, ready for Raw. We dragged our cases behind us, showed security our passes and made our way inside.

I wasn't due on Raw this week because of my recovery from last week's attack, but I at least wanted to go and sit backstage in order to show The Shield my support. After all they'd done for me, it was the least I could do.

They had taken care of me so well all week long, running around after me and nursing me back to health. It wasn't only Dean that had been attentive, but Seth and Roman too. I knew they were good friends to me, but after Orton's attack, they'd changed, becoming so much more protective of me. They were like my big brothers and my love for them grew more and more each and every day.

Dean had been right; the hounds didn't like it when someone hurt one of their own.

I was fully under The Shield's care now, both in and out the ring, and I was hardly let out of their sight. So I almost had no choice but to turn up for the match tonight. I wouldn't be out ringside, but I knew I could watch on the screens backstage and be there for them afterwards.

We entered their locker room and the boys began to get ready. I got a text from Nikki, telling me the matches for the evening.

"It's Dean vs Sheamus tonight," I said, gazing down at the text. "One on one, The Shield standing ringside."

Dean slipped his black special ops vest on over his black wifebeater, his face rather happy at my words. "I've been looking forward to beating the shit out of that jackass for months," he smirked.

I smiled in amusement at him. Dean hated Sheamus, especially after the bullying I'd undergone by him on my first day in the WWE, and time he'd attacked me during an interview with Renee Young. He hated the man's guts, and wanted to show him with his fists just what he thought about him.

"Well tonight is your chance," I said, putting my phone away, slipping it into my bag.

"And we get to finish off whatever Dean leaves us," laughed Seth.

Once they were all changed, they walked me to catering, none of them wanting me to wander the corridors of the arena alone. After everything that had happened, I don't think they'd ever let me walk around alone again!

We entered catering and I soon saw the twins at a table. They waved me over and The Shield allowed me to go, feeling satisfied that I'd be safe with The Bellas. I wished them luck and they rushed away, ready for the fight. I grabbed a cup of water and sat down at the table, all of us facing the big TV screen in there that was airing Raw that evening. The tail end of the match between Neville and Barrett was currently showing.

"How are you feeling?" Nikki asked sweetly, rubbing my back.

"I'm good," I smiled, sipping my water. "My body still aches a little but nowhere near as bad as last week."

"Good," she smiled. "John was seething after what happened. I had to stop him going backstage and beating Randy down right there and then."

I chuckled. "Well he'd have to join the very big queue that's building in order to get a shot at Orton."

"It's lucky Dean got out to ringside when he did," said Brie. "Everyone backstage was going crazy. No one could believe what was happening."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," explained Nikki. "Dean may have got out there first, but others were preparing to help too. John, Daniel, Ryback, Neville, Cesaro. No one could stand to see what Orton was doing. You're Dolph's sister and a lovely person. Of course people wanted to help you."

My stomach did somersaults, my heart completely touched by the way the superstars were ready to rally behind me. I never really thought I'd had many friends in this company except for The Shield and the twins, but I guess my brother did. And any friend of my brother's was a friend of mine. It was good to know that, no matter what, someone would always have my back.

"Wow…" I said, staring down at the table. "That's… amazing."

"But Randy went too far," Brie said. "He'll get his comeuppance. Karma can be a bitch."

"With how pissed Dean was, I don't doubt it," added Nikki. "How was he afterwards?"

I smiled inwardly. "He was… wonderful. I've never been so well taken care of in all my life. He's waited on me hand and foot all week."

"Wow. That boy has it for you bad," Nikki smirked.

"Huh?" I asked, looking at her in confusion.

But she didn't have time to reply. We all looked to the screen, Sheamus's music blaring through the speakers, telling us their match was about to begin. He walked to the ring, the crowd boo'ing him wildly. He entered the ring, rallying the crowd until his music died.

The arena was impatiently waiting, many of the crowd turning to look at the staircase where we all knew they would eventually appear.

 _Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield_

I smirked, watching as the boys emerged and stood together at the top of the staircase, slowly making their way down. The crowd was going wild, having really sided with them over the Orton incident. The Shield were well and truly loved by the WWE Universe, and they were giving their praises loudly. They hopped over the barrier, Seth and Roman giving Dean a pep talk, the lunatic never taking his eyes from Sheamus who stood in the ring.

"And it's Ambrose who will fight on the side of The Shield tonight," said Michael Cole as her offered his commentary. "Ambrose who is still reeling from the attack on Madeleine Ziggler last week on Raw. We here wish Madeleine a speedy recovery."

"We sure do, Michael," added JBL. "We hope to see her back on Raw soon."

Once the pep talk had ended, Dean jumped up onto the apron and slipped through the ropes and into the ring.

My heart thumped in my chest as Dean and Sheamus circled each other, poised to attack. The bell rang and they immediately locked up.

I clutched the cup of water tightly in my hands as I watched the battle unfold, praying that Dean would be alright and would emerge victorious. Dean was on edge and pissed off enough lately with WWE. A loss tonight would seriously not help matters.

Dean won the lock up, getting the Irishman into a headlock, running and hitting his head off the turnbuckle. With Sheamus disorientated, Dean gave him a dropkick, Sheamus dropping to the mat. I smiled, relaxing a little as Dean got into the rhythm of the match.

He was geared up and he was prepared for anything that would be thrown at him tonight. This I knew. Dean was a very focused individual, one who gave whatever he was doing everything he had. And Sheamus was his target tonight.

The match went back and forth, Dean never stopping or backing down. Sheamus was feigning and I knew Dean was going for the victory.

That was until someone else's music hit.

 _I hear voices in my head, they come to me, they understand, they talk to me…_

The twins I gasped, my eyes wide as Orton appeared at the top of the stage. My stomach flipped, a sick feeling entering my stomach as I gazed at the man who'd attacked me for the first time since it had all happened.

"What the fuck is Orton doing here?" Nikki asked.

Dean glared at him, his body stiff and his jaw tense, clearly unhappy with his sudden appearance. Seth and Roman began to walk towards Orton, but it was too late. The distraction had already worked.

Sheamus snuck up behind Dean and pulled him down, rolling him up and pinning him 1-2-3.

Sheamus's music filled the arena, Orton making a quick escape as Dean sat in the middle of the ring, shock on his face, anger in his eyes, unable to believe what had just happened.

Orton had distracted him enough for Sheamus to claim the victory.

The ref raised the Irishman's hand, Seth and Roman pulling an incredulous Dean from the ring, getting him out of there before he could lash out and get mad.

"Fuck…" I said to myself.

"That's not good," said a worried Nikki.

"He's gonna be pissed. So so pissed," I said nervously, running a hand through my hair.

I dreaded to think how he'd be. I could just tell from his face that he was not happy. Not only because he'd lost the match but because Randy had been the reason for it. The Viper had come out on top and Dean would not take to that kindly. A bad taste entered my mouth, especially as I watched the screen, seeing Dean walk away angrily, leaving his team mates behind him.

I needed to talk to him and calm him down. I needed to make sure he was alright. I finished my water and stood up.

"Listen, I need to go see if he's okay," I told the twins.

"Good luck," Brie smiled sympathetically. "It's not gonna be pretty."

"Tell me about it," I said as I left catering.

I swiftly made my way through the corridors, seeing from the screens on my journey that Seth and Roman were currently being interviewed by Renee Young about what had just played out. This meant Dean would be in the locker room alone. I was grateful for this. Distractions and interruptions were the last thing we needed right now.

I reached the locker room and knocked three times. I got no answer so I decided to enter anyway, quietly closing the door behind me.

He was sitting on a bench, looking down at his balled fists, his leg fidgeting nervously, twitching with annoyance. He didn't look up at me as in entered. In fact he barely acknowledged my presence at all.

I looked at him, the fury radiating off of him. I wondered if I was doing the right thing here. Maybe I should have left him alone to cool off, but he'd always helped me and I wanted to return the favour and help him.

I leant back against the wall, unsure of whether to approach him just yet.

"Dean…?" I asked timidly. "You okay?"

He didn't answer. He just continued staring holes into the floor. I bit my lip, hating seeing him like this, so angry, so mad, so pissed off at himself. "Listen, it's okay, you know," I tried again. "It was just a match. There will be others."

He glared up at me then, my body a little taken aback by the fury in his blue eyes. He truly looked like the lunatic everyone thought he was. I wasn't afraid to admit he frightened me a little.

"Just a match?" he hissed, his eyes narrowed. "Did you not see what happened out there?"

I swallowed, nodding nervously as he stood up, stalking towards me. "I did, but-"

"He won again," he growled. "That sick and disgusting bastard distracted me and got one over on me yet again."

I tried to keep my pounding heart calm. "Randy's not worth getting angry over."

"First he attacks you, and then he attacks my match," he said, still stalking towards me, like a lion approaching its prey. "He ruins everything good in my life and you're telling me he's not worth getting mad over?"

I began to breathe heavily then, knowing I probably should have let him calm down first. I'd tried sorting this out far too soon. Dean wasn't ready and now I was getting the bad end of all this.

"Dean, calm down," I said, trying to keep myself composed, not showing him my worry or fear. "There will be other times to get both Orton and Sheamus."

"I wanted him tonight," he growled as he finally reached me. "I wanted both of them tonight. Both of them have upset me, both have hurt you. And I don't like it when people hurt you." I jumped as he rested his palms on the wall behind me, one on either side of my head, trapping me between himself and the wall.

"Dean…" I tried again, the familiar tingling appearing in my stomach at his closeness. I could smell him, and he smelt delicious.

"Do you know what it does to me every time you're hurt? Every time something bad happens to you? It gets me angry, Maddie. I'm your protector, your shield, the person who keeps you safe. And I wanted revenge for all those times they assaulted you."

"And I appreciate that, but there will be other chances," I tried.

"No, they don't get second chances, not when it comes to you," he said. "It's one strike and you're out with me when it's _anything_ to do with you, Maddie. They do something and I will fuck them up, I will tare them limb from limb. I destroy anyone who tries to harm you. And tonight Orton ruined that. He ruined my chance."

My mouth was dry, my heart threatening to pound right out of my chest, my stomach tingling in the most wonderful way. Every word he said, every syllable he muttered made this man more and more amazing to me. The care he had for me, the affection he offered me, the love he seemed to give me… I'd never find anyone like this in my life. He was truly my most favourite person in the world.

"Exactly. It was Orton who ruined it, you need to stop blaming yourself," I whispered gently to him.

"I should have been more focused on the fight and left Orton to Seth and Roman. But he just gets me so mad." He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to mine, trying his hardest to calm his body down. I could feel his breath on my skin, his face mere inches from my own.

"I know he does," I said.

"I care about you way too much to let him keep getting away with this shit," he said.

"Dean…"

"Everything he did to you makes me wanna punch his face till there's nothing left of him. The RKO, the sinister threats… the way he kissed you and claimed you…" He opened his eyes and suddenly rubbed his nose lovingly over mine. "I'd never been so jealous in all my life."

 _Whoa…_

He'd been jealous?

My eyes shot to his, my breath catching in my throat, goosebumps spreading slowly over my skin. His eyes were dark, hooded, needy. Something had changed in him, the anger of what had happened slowly dissipating and turning into something else. It was like all he could see now was me, all he could think about was me. Randy was no longer in the forefront of his mind, I was. I'd only ever seen him like this one time before and it had been the time he kissed me all those weeks ago.

"I hated it too," I whispered, almost wishing he'd press closer against me. "I hate that he's the last one to have kissed me and held me like that."

"It ate me up inside," he said, running his nose along my cheek, my eyes fluttering closed. My stomach wasn't the only part of my body tingling any more, I was now feeling funny even lower, lust flooding every part of me. "To see another man's lips pressed to yours… I wanted to cry, to scream…"

He moved his face back so his eyes could see into mine, my own opening to look at him.

"You look like you wanna kiss me right now…" I said as he gently stroked my cheek with the tips of his fingers.

"Would you push me away if I did?" he queried.

I shook my head. "No… Never…"

He rubbed his nose over mine again, my eyes instinctively closing as he leaned in…

Then the locker room door burst open.

"Fuck," Dean groaned.

I gasped as he pulled away quickly, Seth and Roman entering the room before anything could happen.

"Can't believe the mother-fucker showed up like that," said Seth as he walked over to his bag, none the wiser to the scene he'd just broken up. "He's got some fucking nerve."

"No kidding," said Roman as he shut the door, walking over to Dean. "How you feeling, buddy?"

"Fine," mumbled Dean as he began to sort out his things. "I'm, uh, fine."

I simply stood there, glad there was a wall behind me to lean on. With the way my legs felt right now, I was surprised I hadn't fallen to the floor in a messy heap. I just watched on as my heart rate slowly tried to get back to normal, my skin on fire, my mind unable to comprehend the fact that Dean Ambrose had almost just kissed me…

* * *

 **A giant thanks to** **Hollarious969** **, calwitch, Tantoune, Ashley, AKSimons, Blue Moon Solstice and Crazychiksxxxx for their lovely reviews.**


	22. Womanizer

**Welcome back to Catch Your Breath, my lovely readers!**

 **Last chapter was a bit of a big one, and I know I'm a massive tease. But I do love that slow burn haha. These two love birds just need to get the hell together!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Womanizer' by Britney Spears**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

"Ooh, the salmon looks good," said Nikki as she gazed over the menu at the restaurant we were currently sat in.

"So does the chicken," said Brie, licking her lips at the sight of the foods on offer.

I was looking at the menu, but not taking any of the words in. My eyes had managed to blur them out so none of it made sense, my mind focused on more pressing matters than whether I wanted salmon or chicken.

He'd almost fucking kissed me!

As in, his lips had almost touched mine last night.

His mouth had come insanely close to pressing against my mouth.

This was fucking insane!

I mean, I know we had kissed once before, this was common knowledge. But this time had been a whole different ball game and for whole different reasons. The last time, as amazing as that kiss had been, had happened at the worst possible time. We hated each other, we were pissed off with each other, and we were constantly at each other's throats. He did my head in and he'd hurt me and upset me in so many ways at the time. It had been spontaneous, random and a way for him to shut me up.

It was a fantastic kiss, but it was poorly timed.

This time, however, had been different.

Our relationship had totally changed, almost flipped on its head. We were close now, we were inseparable, we were constantly in each other's pockets every day. They protected me and the entire Shield faction had taken me in as one of their own. We didn't hate each other, we loved each other and Dean was the greatest friend a person could ever ask for.

But that was the question… Was he just a friend to me now?

The almost kiss had awakened something in me, feelings I knew I'd had all along but had tried to suppress, not only for my job but to also stop my heart getting broken.

I liked Dean Ambrose.

I liked him a lot.

He stirred feelings in me, strange yet exciting feelings that both terrified me and exhilarated me. They were feelings I knew I wanted to explore further and see where they led. He made my heart pound, my stomach tingle, my body lustful. He was hot, he was amazing, he was everything I could have asked for in a man.

He cared for me. He looked after me. He treated me right, just as a lady wanted to be treated.

He wasn't just my best friend anymore. After the way he saved me, after the days of taking care of me, after almost kissing me senseless, I knew I felt more for Dean Ambrose than just simple friendship now. I liked him, I wanted him, I yearned to make him mine.

And the moment in the locker room showed me perhaps he felt the exact same way.

You don't just attempt to kiss your best friend for no reason. You don't do it for the laughs or because it's something to fill the time. You do it because you like them, because you want something with them. You do it because you want to. It's the whole reason I wanted to kiss him and I'm certain it was the reason he wanted to kiss me.

And he would have had Seth and Roman not interrupted when they did.

I loved those guys to death, but I wanted nothing more than to slam their heads right through a table for their interference.

We had been so close, our lips millimeters away from each other. The room had been hot, the closeness mind-numbing, the lust between us strong and powerful. The heat radiating from him hit me like a slap in the face, his scent taking over my body, the need for him running through my veins. I'd never experienced a moment like it in all my life. I was on fire, I was turned on, and I wanted him like I'd never wanted another man in my life.

The feeling was addictive, and I wanted it again.

I wanted him again… so so badly.

"Yo, Maddie," said Nikki, waving her hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention.

"Huh?" I said, looking over at her with a lost face, waking up from my daydream.

"What are you having?" she asked.

I looked up, seeing the waiter standing at our table, looking at me expectantly, ready to take my order.

"Oh, uh, the chicken please," I said with a smile. He wrote down our orders, took our menus from us and walked away.

"What is with you today?" Nikki asked, taking a breadstick from the tray on our table and nibbling on it. "It's like you're in a dream world."

"Sorry," I said, taking a sip of the white wine we'd all decided to have with dinner. "Just got a lot on my mind lately."

"Is it the Randy thing?" Brie asked with concern. "Maybe you need to talk to someone about what happened. You'd find it really useful."

I let out a tiny laugh. "Actually no, it's not that at all. Far from it. It's nothing bad."

"So it's a good thing you're zoning out over?" she asked.

"Kinda," I said with a nervous smile.

"Okay, spill!" said Nikki, leaning her head on her hand, looking at me eagerly, giving me every ounce of her attention.

"Well," I began, playing with my napkin nervously. "Dean and I almost kissed last night…"

"What?!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Half the restaurant turned to look at her, her voice had been so loud.

"Shhh…" I said with a giggle, attempting to quieten her down.

"That's so exciting!" she exclaimed, her hands clasping her cheeks. "Oh my god!"

"What do you mean, almost?" enquired Brie, her eyebrow raised.

"Well, we were about to… you know, then Seth and Roman walked in."

"Goddamn them!" said Nikki, banging her fist on the table in frustration. "Men are the fucking worst for pulling shit like that."

"Even so, what does this all mean?" Brie asked.

"I don't know," I said, looking down at the table. "We haven't really spoken about it."

"Well how do you feel about him?" Nikki asked.

I bit my lip, blushing profusely. "I like him… a lot."

"Then maybe you should go for it," Brie suggested. "If you guys almost kissed, it's pretty obvious he has a thing for you too."

"Brianna, you'd have to be blind not to see he likes her. He's liked her since the day he met her!" Nikki said.

I frowned. "We hated each other at the start. If he does like me, I doubt it's been for that long."

"But it's like the little boy who bullies the girl because he secretly likes her," Nikki explained. "He hated you so that he didn't have to admit he liked you."

"I dunno…" I said. "But either way, I'm too nervous to try anything. What if it was just a moment of lust and his feelings aren't as strong as we think? Randy had just interfered, he'd just lost a match… Maybe he wasn't thinking straight."

"Always so negative," Nikki commented.

"Well why don't you see what happens at your birthday barbecue next week?" Brie suggested. "You can find a private place to talk to him, and if it doesn't turn out the way you planned, Nikki and myself will be close by for you to run to."

"That is a good plan," I said as I thought about it.

It was my 23rd birthday next week and Dolph had planned a massive barbecue for me at his home to celebrate. Many of my friends and people at work were invited, including the twins, and including Dean, The Shield, and their respective partners. It would be exciting too meet Roman's wife and Seth's girlfriend. But as Brie suggested, it could be a good place to talk to Dean about all this too. I needed to process it all in my mind first before I discussed it with him. I needed a level head and clear thoughts and to make sense of all that had transpired between us both.

So the barbecue would be the perfect time and place for this to all happen.

The waiter finally arrived with our food and we swiftly tucked in, my mind suddenly rather nervous for my birthday to arrive.

xXx

After dinner was finished we decided we weren't ready to head back to our hotel just yet. So we figured we'd go to a local club for a drink and a dance. Brie and Nikki had messaged Daniel and John to join us there, so I sent The Shield a text, telling them where we were and what we were doing and that we were more than happy for them to come along too.

We hopped in a cab and went from the restaurant to the club Nikki has suggested. We went inside, grabbed ourselves a cocktail from the bar and found ourselves a table. I liberally drank my Cosmo, not wanting a repeat of the last time I'd been to a club. There was no way in hell I was letting Brie-Mode take over again. I shivered at the memories of that night. The vomiting, the way Dean had to come get me, the memory loss the next day due to the excessive alcohol…

No, I would behave myself tonight!

It didn't take long for John and Daniel to join our little group, the five of us chatting and drinking happily as the night wore on.

Before long I looked to the entrance of the club to see the three hounds arrive, all looking as handsome as ever. Dean was in a pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt, and I had to try with all my might not to drool over him. God, he looked good. I could see his chiseled chest and toned muscles under his t-shirt and I wanted nothing more than to rip it from his body…

But no, I stopped myself.

I had already decided this with the twins. I was going to get my thoughts into check and talk to him about this at my birthday barbecue at the weekend. And I was sticking to that plan!

I waved them over, but they quickly pointed out they were popping to the bathroom first. I nodded and stood.

"The guys have just come in so I'm just going to the bar to get them some drinks," I told everyone, rushing off. I reached the bar, ordering three beers and another Cosmo for myself. The barman took my order and started to prepare the drinks.

A man arrived at the bar, speaking to another barman. "I'll have a beer…" He then looked at me, his eyes gazing up and down my body. "And whatever this pretty lady is having."

I smiled at him. "Thank you but I've already ordered."

"So?" he said. "Can't I buy a beautiful woman a drink?"

I blushed. "Well since you asked so kindly, I've just ordered a Cosmopolitan."

He handed the barman his money, paying for his own drink and mine. He then turned to look at me as the drinks were made. "Ryan," he said, offering me his hand.

"Maddie," I smiled, shaking it.

"I've never seen you round here before," he said. "Are you new to the area?"

"Oh, I'm not local, I'm just here for work."

"Anything interesting?" he asked, leaning his elbow on the bar.

"I work in entertainment," I smiled.

"Entertainment… An exciting career choice," he grinned. "I work in accounting."

"Sounds interesting," I said.

"It's not," he said with a chuckle. "But it pays the bills."

"That's what counts."

He seemed very genuine and sweet, so I was happy to converse with him whilst the drinks were being prepared. Plus he was very handsome and that was always a nice bonus when talking to a stranger.

"So how long you in town for?" he enquired.

"Just a few days," I said. "Then I'm off on the road again. My job means I travel a lot."

"Well maybe I can show you around whilst you're here. I'll show you the good bars, the nice restaurants. I can be your personal tour guide," he said with a wink, licking his lips.

 _Ah… I can see what he's after here…_

"I don't know," I said nervously, suddenly feeling uncomfortable in his presence. He was clearly after one thing here and I was in no way interested. I already had a guy I liked. I didn't need this man flirting with me now.

"How about I simply take you to dinner then tomorrow night?" he asked, leaning his hand over the bar in attempt to hold mine. I quickly moved it away before he had chance, using it to place my hair behind my ears.

"I have friends I'm staying with and-"

"Well I'm sure your friends won't mind you going out with me for one night," he said. "I'll take good care of you, I promise."

"That's really sweet of you," I tried, getting a little uncomfortable with his persistence. "But-"

"Come on, sexy," he pushed, edging closer to me... horribly close to me. "Just one little date. Don't say no to me after I brought you a drink."

"Hey, there you are, sweetheart," came a familiar voice. Suddenly Dean was next to me, a warm smile on his lips. He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. "I wondered where you'd gotten to." I looked at him in confusion as he bent down to kiss my cheek.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

"Play along," he whispered discreetly.

Ryan looked at us in confusion, annoyance coming from him due to Dean interrupting us. "Who is this guy?" he asked me, looking Dean up and down with a dirty look. "Do you mind? We were having a conversation."

The lunatic's entire persona changed.

Dean let me go, taking a step forward and squaring up to Ryan. Being over six foot tall and built like a house, Dean was very intimidating. I could see the fear in Ryan's face as Dean's eyes darkened. "Yeah, I do mind actually. This _guy_ is her boyfriend. Got a problem with that, buddy?"

My heart fluttered at that word, the one word I'd love to call Dean. And even though it was all a lie to get rid of this guy, I couldn't help the warmth that rose in my body at hearing Dean call himself that.

I liked it, I liked it a lot.

"B-Boyfriend?" he asked, squirming in his shoes.

"Yeah, boyfriend," he replied, folding his arms. "One who doesn't take kindly to other guys trying it on with my girlfriend."

Ryan glared over at me. "You never said you had a boyfriend."

"Well in my defence, you never asked," I shrugged, amused by how imposing Dean was being right now. Ryan was petrified.

He quickly cleared his throat, straightening up his jacket and picking up the beer that had now been poured for him. "Yes… well… I guess I should be on my way then."

"Yeah, maybe you should," replied Dean.

"Nice to meet you, Maddie," he quickly added, holding his hand out for me to shake.

"Are you taking the fucking piss? Get lost!" Dean yelled.

Ryan looked to me one more time before scurrying away like a terrified mouse with his tail between his legs.

"Well that's one way to get rid of some unwanted attention," I chuckled as Dean turned back to face me, an amused smirk on his face.

"I could see you were in trouble and thought I'd offer my services. The guy almost shit himself."

"Can you blame him?" I said with my hands on my hips. "He just squared up to Dean Ambrose. I'm surprised he didn't jump out of his skin."

"Well I had to give the guy props for trying I suppose," he smiled. "But I couldn't let him get the full victory. It's more fun when they scurry off crying like that."

I shook my head in amusement as I turned to the bar, grabbing my drink and a beer, Dean grabbing the other two beers.

"Even so, it worked. But do you save every girl that way? By calling them your _girlfriend_?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well don't tell me you've never thought about yourself in that way," he said to me. "I certainly know I have."

He winked at me, and with that he walked away over to our table, leaving me opened mouthed at the bar.

Yeah… I definitely liked Dean Ambrose.

* * *

 **Thanks go to calwitch,** **Hollarious969** **,** **Tantoune** **, Ashley,** **Lilygirl95** **,** **DeanGirlForLife,** **KairiAnneYukari21** **,** **angelsdee327** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **and KakaLove for their reviews of the last chapter.**

 **Glad you all liked it. I know I loved writing it. Sorry I'm such a big tease hehe.**


	23. A Historic Love

**Hello, lovely people!**

 **I am going on holiday on Monday, so sadly I will not be posting any chapters for about a week. So to make up for it I have written an extra long chapter for you all to keep you going. I hope you like it! I think you may…**

 **This chapter is named after 'A Historic Love' from The Tudors soundtrack. I love this song, and it's perfect to listen to near the end of the chapter.**

 **See you all in a week!**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I gazed at myself in the mirror in the guest room I was stopping in at my brother's place. I took a deep breath, taking in the sight before me. I wore a lemon yellow summerdress, black flats and my blonde hair in waves. My lips were red and my makeup was light. I could already hear the guests outside in the garden, but I didn't care. I was too focused on how I looked.

I was never normally a vein person, but I wanted to look as good as possible for Dean. I blushed as I thought about him, and I knew I should have felt embarrassed for putting so much effort into my appearance for some guy.

But that was just the thing, he wasn't some guy.

He was Dean Ambrose, a sexy, fluffy haired, muscly, gorgeous hunk of a man.

And I wanted to look as good for him as possible.

I heard a wolf whistle behind me and turned to see Nikki and Brie in the doorway of my room. They looked as beautiful as ever.

"Well don't we look gorgeous?" said Nikki.

I smoothed my dress down. "Does it honestly look okay?" I asked nervously.

"You look stunning," Brie smiled. "Nikki has her tits half hanging out of her dress and yet you will still turn more guy's heads this afternoon."

"Brianna!" Nikki yelled, looking at her twin with offense as I giggled.

"But seriously," Brie continued. "He won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"That's the plan," I said with a deep breath. "Shall we?"

"Let's go get them, ladies," Nikki said as we all linked our arms together and made our way downstairs.

xXx

The barbecue and party was in full swing when I got down to the garden, the guests seemingly having fun. The sun was high and the sky was blue, so it was the perfect day for it. So many people had turned out for the party that I was surprised I was so popular! So many Superstars, Divas, family members and family friends. I was losing count of who was here.

The garden looked amazing, filled with balloons, bunting and banners. There was a barbecue, a dancefloor, tables and chairs, a DJ, and tables filled with food, drinks and a giant birthday cake. It looked perfect.

Dolph and Lana rushed to me once they saw me, my brother picking me up in a hug. "Here she is, the birthday girl!"

"Exactly how many people did you invite, Dolph?" I asked, still gazing round.

"Enough," he replied, putting me back down on my feet. "Plus I always host great parties. People can't say no when I invite them."

I shook my head in amusement. "Well it looks totally awesome."

"Well it's not every day my little sister turns 23, is it?" he said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure the gray hairs will be appearing any day now," I smirked.

"Wait till you're 30," he laughed, my eyes moving to look around, searching eagerly for three of my favourite people. I quickly spotted them near the food and drinks table.

"I better go and mingle with my guests," I said.

"Of course, have fun, kid," Dolph said with a wink as I rushed off, heading towards The Shield. They all looked so smart, and handsome. Dean was dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt and his black leather jacket, looking as gorgeous as ever. I had to bite my lip in order to suppress the groan I was dying to release.

I noticed two women standing by them, both tall and extremely beautiful. I assumed they were Galina, Roman's wife, and Leighla, Seth's girlfriend. Dean's grin widened when he spotted me approaching them.

"Hey, guys," I smiled, hugging each of them individually.

"Happy birthday, baby girl," smiled Roman as he hugged me.

"Finally turning the big two three," Seth laughed.

"Sure am. I'll be 30 before you know it," I laughed. I turned to face the ladies, Galina embracing me immediately.

"You must be Maddie," she said sweetly, hugging me close.

"And you're Galina," I replied. "I've heard so much about you."

"All good things I hope," she said, looking up at Roman with an amused raised eyebrow.

"Of course," I said. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Agreed," she replied. "I've been asking Roman for weeks to introduce us. But you know what men are like."

She gave me a wink, causing me to laugh. I already love her. She seemed so sweet and caring and genuine. She was just like Roman and I knew we would instantly get on with each other.

I then turned to the other woman. "And you must be Leighla," I smiled.

She held her hand out for me to shake. "Charmed," was all she said. Her tone was monosyllabic and uninterested, almost like she didn't want to be here. I shook her hand anyway.

"Thanks for coming," I smiled, trying with her again.

"Sure," she said, looking around, not giving me any attention. I wasn't sure what her problem was, but she seemed nothing like Galina. If anything she was being a bit of a misery guts. I could see from the corner of my eye the embarrassment Seth was feeling at her actions, so Dean quickly jumped in to save the conversation.

"So we all clubbed together and got you a little something," he smiled, handing me a small wrapped up box.

"You did?" I asked, taking it from his hand. "You didn't have to."

"It's kind of how birthdays work," Roman said. "Happy birthday, kid."

I smiled up at them, tearing the paper and seeing a blue velvet box below. I opened it up, gasping when I saw the contents.

"Guys… It's beautiful…"

I lifted the silver necklace and locket from the box, gazing at it as it shone in the bright sunlight. It was so beautiful and old fashioned and stunning. They knew my tastes so well and I had to wonder if they'd asked the wives and girlfriends or the twins for their help with picking it out. I loved it.

"Open it up," smiled Seth.

I did as I was told, opening the locket, smiling brightly as I saw a photo of me and The Shield inside.

"Well you're our fourth member now so we figured we'd get you something nice," Seth said.

"Do you like it?" asked Roman.

"Guys… I love it," I smiled, kissing each of their cheeks in turn. "Thank you so much."

"Here, I'll put it on for you," said Dean. I handed him the necklace, moved my hair out of the way and turned around. He came up behind me, placed it around my neck and began to fasten it. His fingers brushed against the sensitive parts of my neck causing shivers to run up my spine as he fixed the necklace in place, and I quickly moved away once he was done, too scared I'd jump him if I didn't.

"Thanks, everyone," I smiled, noticing more people arrive. "Listen, I gotta greet more guests. But all of you enjoy yourselves, have plenty to eat and drink, and have fun, okay? I'll catch up with you later."

"Of course," smiled Seth. "Have a great day."

And with that, I reluctantly rushed off, wanting nothing more than to stay with my friends.

xXx

Dean Ambrose's Point Of View

As the afternoon wore on, I found myself watching her more and more, my eyes never far from where she was. She looked so happy and carefree today, her smile bright, her face pretty, her body stunning in that dress.

I'd never seen someone look so beautiful as Madeleine Ziggler looked today. She was perfection, an angel, a ray of sunshine. And I couldn't tare my eyes away.

Roman had gone to dance with Galina and Leighla was off in the bathroom somewhere, probably acting like the miserable bitch she was. So it was just Seth and I sitting down, beers in our hands, my eyes staring at the birthday girl as she chatted to some of the Divas from work. I heard him let out an exasperated sigh and I turned to him.

"What?" I asked.

"Dude, why don't you just go and talk to her?" he said. "You've not let her out of your sight all day."

"Yes I have," I said, taking a swig from my bottle.

"Yeah, for all of about two minutes when you went to the bathroom," Seth said dryly. "Go and ask her to dance or something."

I contemplated his words briefly, knowing I wanted to do it more than anything.

"She looks busy," I said, knowing it was a pathetic excuse.

He sighed again. "Look, you like her, you almost kissed her for fuck's sake. And if she went to kiss you back I'm sure she likes you too. Just dance, talk to her, and fucking go for it!"

He was right…

I knew he was. Maybe she did feel the same, especially after the kiss that almost happened.

My mind was still reeling from that evening and the moment where her lips had almost touched mine once again. After the stunt Orton had pulled on me, I was pissed, angry, savage. Not only had I lost to him, but I'd lost to Sheamus all within the same match. I was ready to punch a wall and destroy the fucking arena.

But then Maddie came in and everything changed. The things she said, the way I felt, I completely calmed down and wanted nothing more in that moment than her. Truthfully I'd wanted her for weeks before that, but something about that night felt right, like it was the night we were meant to kiss.

And we were going to if those two idiots hadn't walked in. I fucking loved my brothers but when that door shot open and I had to pull away, I wanted to punch their faces repetitively into the wall. I'd told them about what had almost happened in the hotel that night, so they knew what they had done. They couldn't stop apologising enough.

But ever since then I'd barely had a real chance to speak to her about it. We were either busy, apart doing our own separate things, in the company of others, or I was trying to save her from the unwanted advance of some guy in a bar. No-one flirts with the girl I like, and by the end of the conversation he pretty much got the picture.

But dancing with her now, even though we'd be in a crowd of people, would offer us some privacy. And I would love to dance with her…

But was now the right time? It was her birthday party and we were surrounded by her friends and family. Now was the time for her to enjoy herself and have fun. The last thing she needed today was for me to unleash a hell an avalanche of feelings on her.

"Is now the right time though?" I tried.

"Probably not," he said. "But even if you guys don't discuss everything that's happened, just dance with her anyway. Trust me, she won't say no."

I finished off my beer and took my friend's advice. I stood, straightened out my jacket, and made my way over to her. She was currently by the food, talking with Paige and Naomi. She was surprised to see me.

"Hey," she smiled, happy to see me. "You having a good time?"

"Yeah, uh…" I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. "Do you… you know, wanna, like, dance or something?"

I was one of the most confident men in WWE but right now, asking a girl to dance with me, I'd never been so nervous.

Paige and Naomi looked at each other knowingly, but Maddie just smiled. "Sure, I'd like that."

The girls winked and waved at her as I took her hand in mine and led her to the large dancefloor that had been set up in the garden. The music was playing and we joined the other couples dancing around us. I turned her to face me, placed one hand on her waist, using the other to hold her hand, and began to sway us to the music.

I felt nervous and scared, the whole thing reminding me of the time we'd danced in a bar together so many months ago. It was before the first kiss, before the almost kiss, before our whole friendship had begun. I was nervy then and I was nervy now.

I'd never been good at the whole relationship thing. With me I would usually find a girl, fuck her, then leave early the next morning. It had always been one night stands for me, never anything deadly serious. It was quite crazy really considering I was 29 years old, but I'd never found a girl I'd ever wanted to be serious with.

But Maddie broke that mold. She was worth the effort and the time. She was the girl who I wanted to spend every night with and wake up to the next day. I didn't want to leave when it came to her, I wanted to stay forever.

"You okay?" she asked me as we moved to the music. "You seem a little tense."

"Yeah, I'm good," I smiled. "Just not used to dancing in such large crowds. It's usually just me at home with a bottle of whiskey dancing to an old Rolling Stones record."

She giggled. "I can imagine that."

"Yeah, it's not pretty," I smirked. "How are you enjoying your party?"

She nodded. "It's fun. There's just so many people to see and to greet. I'm hardly getting chance to just relax and have fun."

"Well it's a good job I pulled you away to dance then, isn't it?" I asked.

"You're being the gentleman once again, Mr Ambrose," she smiled.

"Just don't say that too loudly. I don't want the other wrestlers thinking I'm a soft touch."

She giggled, a beautiful smile playing on her lips. "I wouldn't dream of it."

The music then changed, a slow song beginning to play. The couples started to dance more intimately and I was certain Maddie was going to pull away, but she didn't. Instead she leaned in closer to me, surprising me when she rested her head on my chest, holding me closer.

I didn't question this, not for a second. I just wrapped my arms around her, rested my chin atop of my head, and swayed slowly to the music, enjoying this small moment I had with her. It didn't matter that we were surrounded by other dancers. It didn't matter that we were in the presence of almost everyone from work. It didn't even matter that her brother could see us and was no doubt staring daggers into my back…

All that mattered in that moment was her and I, Dean and Maddie.

And as the song drew to an end and we sadly parted, everything felt perfect.

She was all I could think about, all I could dream about. I was so lost in her and I never wanted to find my way out.

xXx

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

As the sun slowly began to set, I knew my party was finally drawing to a close. Some guests had already left, and the crowd was slowly dissipating away as everyone prepared to go home. It had dropped a little chilly outside so most people had gone inside my brother's large house. But I chose to stay outside by myself, breathing in the fresh evening air, reflecting on my day.

Today had been magnificent. So many people, so many presets, and I'd literally had one of the best days of my life.

As I sat by my brother's swimming pool, shaded by the few trees behind me, dipping my feet in the water, twirling my locket around in my fingers as I watched the gorgeous sunset, my mind replayed in my head all the wonderful moments of the day.

Seeing all my friends, spending time with my brother, blowing out the candles of my cake as everyone sang to me, opening my presents, dancing with Dean…

I sighed. Yes, today had well and truly been magnificent. I'd turned 23 with style and it would take a lot to beat this day for me. I'd loved every second of it.

As I splashed my feet in the water, a shadow began to loom over me. I turned, grinning when I saw Dean standing there.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Go ahead," I replied as he took his shoes off, rolled up his jeans and sat beside me, dipping his feet in the water. He looked out ahead of us, his eyes far off in thought.

"That's one hell of a sunset," he commented.

"It always is," I smiled. "I love coming out at this time of day when I stay with Dolph and watch the sun go down."

"I can see why," he said, leaning back on his hands. "It's beautiful."

And I couldn't agree more as I watched the swirling of reds, oranges and blues in the sky, creating a scene that looked like it was straight from a painting.

We were silent for a while, just basking in the beauty of the sight before us, taking it in and relaxing. No words needed to be said. Our view and each other's company was more than enough.

"How have you enjoyed your birthday?" he eventually asked, turning his head to look at me.

I smiled to myself. "It's been amazing," I said. "Everything I could have wished for."

"Your brother certainly knows how to throw a good party," he said. "He must really love you to put something as big as this together for you."

I looked at him. "What can I say? I have the best big brother in the world." I continued playing with the locket in my fingers.

"You like the gift we got you?" he asked curiously.

I nodded. "It's the best gift I've received today. It was so sweet of you guys."

His hand shot to his jacket pocket and began fiddling around. "Well I got you a little something to go with it, if that's okay." He pulled out another small box and handed it over to me.

"What's this?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed, shifting the box around in my hands.

"I kinda got you a little something just from myself," he said, running a nervous hand through his hair. "I saw it and thought of you," he shrugged.

This box wasn't wrapped, but it was blue like the first one. I gently pulled open the lid and found a delicate silver chain bracelet inside. Upon it was a single charm in the shape of a shield.

"Dean…" I said, looking down at the beautiful piece of jewelry in front of me.

"I know it's stupid and you probably hate it, but I wanted to get you something special and-"

"I love it," I said, looking up at him. "I absolutely love it."

A small smirk played on his lips. "You do?"

"Dean, it's perfect," I said, letting him take it from me so he could fasten it onto my wrist.

"Well you're practically the fourth Shield member now, so I had to get you something to commemorate that."

"Thank you," I said, leaning over to him and embracing him in a warm hug, wrapping my arms tightly around him. He followed my lead, holding me close, the two of us saying nothing else. All we needed to do was hold each other; it said everything we needed to say.

His kindness, his thoughtful gift, everything he'd ever done for me. Dean Ambrose was one hell of a man. I just wanted to be with him forever, to never be parted from him, to one day be able to call him my own and for him to call me his.

We pulled away, watching the sunset in silence before Seth voice broke it.

"Dean, we're leaving now if you want a ride," he called from the doorway of Dolph's house.

He sighed and reluctantly stood up, rolling down his jeans and putting his shoes back on. I watched sadly as he did, not wanting this moment or this day to end. I didn't want Dean to leave, I wanted to stay in his company and enjoy his companionship. I didn't want him going away. I wanted him to stay.

He was about to leave when I quickly stood, grabbing his hand in mine. His eyes quickly looked at me.

"Do you have to go"? I asked him, looking deeply into his eyes.

He looked back at me, torn over what to do. "I wish I could, Maddie, but-"

I sighed and let his hand go, nerves suddenly taking over my body. This wasn't the kind of stuff I was used to admitting. I didn't want him to go because I liked him and being parted from him hurt me. But I knew he couldn't stay. Dolph wouldn't allow it and Seth was his only lift back to his hotel. He had to go now.

"Fine… That's fine. Thanks for coming, I guess." My shoulders dropped, my mood suddenly melancholy and sad.

"Maddie, what's wrong?" he asked, taking a step towards me. "Talk to me."

I turned away, my cheeks blushing brightly. "Nothing… I just…" I tried my hardest to build up the confidence to talk, knowing it was now or never. "I hate when… damn it…"

"Take your time," he said.

I looked at him then turned away, his deep blue eyes and concerned look really not helping my situation.

 _Why does he have to be so fucking sexy?_

I wrapped my arms around myself. "I don't… I don't want you to go… because when you do… I dunno… I get sad…"

"Maddie?" he asked, but I ignored him.

"And my head won't work right now…" I was getting flustered and extremely nervous. "And you probably think I'm an idiot… I'm not… I'm just confused… Because I hate when you leave… It sucks…"

"Uh, Maddie?"

"I must sound so stupid… Of course you have to go… But it's not easy… And I cant stand it when I'm not with you…"

"Maddie?" he tried again a little louder, and I let out an anxious breath as I turned to face him.

"What?"

He looked down at me, his blue eyes deep, his look intense. There was something about him, about how he held himself, about how he moved around me. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as a deafening silence hung between us, one that felt as if it lasted a life time.

And then it happened.

Dean suddenly grabbed my hips, pushed me up against the tree that stood behind us and pressed his lips to mine.

My eyes widened, my body in far too much shock to move. My hands began to shake, my legs turning to jelly as realisation dawned on me. He was kissing me… he was kissing me…

Dean was kissing me…

My mind instantly switched back on and I closed my eyes, returning the kiss with as much intensity and passion as Dean was giving me. My arms wrapped around his neck, holding him to me as closely as possible. He snaked his arm around my waist, the other slowly stroking up my side as he pressed me further against the bark of the tree.

My stomach began doing flips as a familiar tingling sensation began to hit me down below.

Words could not describe how it felt to be connected to him like I was. I thought the kiss we had shared weeks ago at Raw was amazing. But this… This kiss was mind-blowing. Never in my life had I felt so close to a person before. Never had such emotions swirled in my head and such feelings erupted throughout my body. It was the world's greatest high, like being alive to the fullest. My heart thumped, goose-bumps raised upon my skin and the coil in my stomach was close to breaking point.

Never in all my life had something felt this good… or right.

Our lips moved in perfect sync, fitting together like they were made for each other. The kiss was slow and gentle, but sensuality was strong within it. His tongue swept across my bottom lip, silently asking for entrance, and I quickly obliged. As our tongues danced against each other, fighting a battle for dominance where neither of us cared who won.

I finally felt like I was home. It was like I belonged there, like it was my destiny to be there. I groaned as our tongues touched, the noise only spurring Dean on more.

As delicately as he could, he lifted me, allowing my legs to wrap around his waist until he was holding me up. Our lips did not break once, but the position allowed us to be even closer and intimate. Our chests were pressed together as he held me as close to him as humanly possible, encasing me in his protective arms as my hands lifted up to his hair, my fingers entangling themselves in his beautiful fluffy brown locks.

I pulled his head closer to mine, if it were even possible, and deepened the kiss, the whole thing becoming a bit more urgent. As my hand moved from his hair, down his arms and across his chest, he moaned again, his excitement obvious against my stomach.

 _Wow! Who ever guessed that I could do that to Dean Ambrose?_

The moment could not be more wonderful. It was just him and me, totally alone, with only each other in the whole world. I wanted to commit the whole thing to memory incase it never happened again. The kiss that I had wanted for so long was finally happening. He was kissing me, I was kissing him. It could not be anymore perfect…

"Dean, come on. Leighla is waiting in the car," Seth shouted again.

 _Damn you, Seth Rollins!_

Reluctantly we broke apart, the two of us out of breath, Dean finally lowering me till my feet hit the ground. He refused to let me go, pressing his forehead to mine as our chests heaved to get oxygen back into our bodies.

"Wow…" he whispered, his warm breath fanning over my face.

"Yeah… wow…" I whispered back, looking up finally into his eyes. He looked down at me, gently lifting his hand to lightly brush a stray blonde hair from my face.

"I can't stay, but I at least had to do that before I went," he said, cupping my cheek. "I had to get that off my chest."

I blushed, leaning into his touch. "Well I feel a lot better letting you go after you did that," I smiled.

He leant forward and pressed his lips to my forehead, letting them linger there for a while as he kissed my skin. "Happy birthday," he smiled before he finally pulled away and began to make his way to Seth. However half way through his walk he quickly turned round to face me. "And for what it's worth, I can't stand it when I'm not with you either."

All I could do was watch him walk away and out of sight, the smile never leaving the lips that still tingled with Dean Ambrose's kiss…

* * *

 **A huge thanks to calwitch, Tantoune,** **Hollarious969** **,** **AngelsDestiny22** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **and** **Blue Moon Solstice** **for their lovely words about the last chapter.**

 **Don't forget to keep reviewing, favouriting and following!**


	24. R U Mine

**I'm baaaaacccckkk!**

 **Hey, everyone! I'm finally home from my holiday. The weather was amazing, I had so much fun, and I really enjoyed my break. But I'm back now and ready to continue this story!**

 **I left you on a high note last time, so let's see what comes from that little smooch Dean and Maddie shared…**

 **This chapter is named after 'R U Mine' by Arctic Monkeys**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

The butterflies in my stomach were working overtime once I'd gotten to the arena on Monday night. I'd stayed at Dolph's place with him and Lana for the rest of my birthday weekend, so this was the first time I was seeing anyone from work or from my party since the oh-so-heart-melting, panty wetting, spine tingling kiss that Dean Ambrose had surprised me with.

I couldn't stop blushing, my cheeks flushing a deep red every time the memory of that evening flashed through my mind.

The kiss, his words, the way he held me… Dean Ambrose was a suave mother-fucker and he had me hook, line and sinker. I'd always been certain of my growing feelings for him, but that one action of pressing his lips to mine had fully convinced me that he was the man I wanted in my life.

There was no other guy for me, of that I was completely certain. I only wanted one man in my life, and he was muscley, fluffy haired and utterly insane.

I walked from the car to the locker room with Dolph and Lana, trailing my suitcase behind me. I would change in Dolph's locker room first and then go meet The Shield. They had a match tonight and it would be the first time I was debuting with them since I was under their sworn protection.

And I was nervous, very nervous. And it wasn't because it was my first time out as their unofficial fourth member. It was because I had yet to see Dean since my party and I had no idea how he was going to react to me, the kiss, any of it. I knew all would be fine – he was my friend, this wasn't the first time we'd kissed, and Dean wasn't an utter ass.

But it still didn't stop those butterflies doing laps of my stomach and making me feel as anxious as hell.

I kinda wanted to just hurry and get it out of the way before I began to worry myself sick which, for me, was a very easy thing to do. So I quickly changed into my ring gear, something which remained the same except I'd changed my Ziggler vest for a Shield one, and quickly hurried over to their locker room.

I attempted to open the door but found it locked when I turned the handle. I knocked several times, calling out for them but there was no answer. So I merely assumed they hadn't yet arrived at the arena. I bounced nervously on my feet.

This wasn't good. I just wanted them to be here, I just wanted to see Dean, and I just wanted to get our initial meeting post-kiss out of the damn way.

Knowing I needed to kill some time, I went for a wander around the arena, something I knew The Shield would not be pleased with if they heard. They still knew Orton and potentially Sheamus were still after me and could be lurking around any corner. But the place was busy. What could they possibly do with this many people and witnesses around?

I soon found the twins in catering anyway, so I knew I was perfectly safe.

"Here she comes," smiled Nikki as I made my way over to them. "How was your birthday weekend?"

"Amazing," I grinned as I took a seat at their table. "Literally the best birthday I have ever had."

"Well the party was fantastic," Brie said. "Daniel loved it, and if he enjoyed it then it must have been good."

I laughed. "Everybody I spoke to loved it. My brother knows how to throw a good party."

"And who got you this?" Nikki asked, her hand playing with the bracelet that sat comfortably around my wrist. It never took her long to spot jewellery. The girl loved the stuff. "It's so cute." She rolled the shield charm around her fingers. "Did the guys get you this?"

I shook my head. "No, this was from Dean."

"He got you a solo present?" Nikki asked with a raised eyebrow, giving Brie a knowing look. "The dude is really trying to get into your good books."

"He's kind of already there," I admitted with a blush.

"And what does that mean?" inquired Brie.

"Well…" I began, biting my lip. These girls were my best friends and we always told each other everything about our relationships, so I had no qualms admitting to them what had happened. "Dean sort of… kissed me after my party."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Nikki in a voice so high I swear only dogs could have heard her. The entire canteen turned to look at her but she didn't care. "Are you serious?"

"Shhh…" I said in a feeble attempt to quieten her down. "Yes, I'm serious. He, like, full on kissed me."

"That's so exciting!" she clapped, her face bright and happy. "Oh my god, Maddie!"

"Was he good?" asked Brie with curiosity.

"Best kiss I've ever had," I smirked.

"So what does this mean?" asked Nikki. "Are you two together now?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I haven't really spoken to him since it happened and I was kinda hoping to chat with him before going out to the ring tonight."

"Well what are you still doing here with us?" asked Brie. "Go find him, go talk to him!"

"You guys sure?" I asked. "It'd be a bit rude to just get up and leave you ladies to go talk to a boy."

"This isn't just any boy," Nikki said with folded arms. "This is the boy who you have liked for weeks, and the boy who has been pining after you like a lost puppy for months now. Go! Go find him!"

I laughed as I stood up, waved them farewell and hurried out to begin my search.

I went to their locker room, which thankfully was unlocked this time. However the room was empty. I could see their day clothes were hanging up, so they boys had blatantly arrived, changed into their ring gear and were elsewhere. I knew immediately where Dean would be. So instead of searching needlessly around the arena for him, I headed straight out to the back where the lorries and trucks were kept, knowing this was his usual place to go and relax before a match.

There he sat in his usual spot on top of some crates, headphones in, eyes closed, foot tapping to his music.

God, he was just as handsome as I remembered. It had only been two days since I'd last seen him, but it still felt like a lifetime, especially after how we'd left things. I stared at him for a while, taking in his gorgeous form, committing his face to memory.

He was perfection.

It was and always would be hard to ever get bored of staring at Dean Ambrose. He was easy on the eye, was built to shit, and had the cutest, fluffiest hair I'd ever seen. It was easy to see why so many of the fan girls liked him.

His eyes opened as I walked towards him, that cheeky smirk spreading onto his lips, and suddenly the butterflies became active again and I became as nervous as fuck. My heart was threatening to pound out of my chest as I fought to keep my breathing regular.

I'd known Dean Ambrose for months. I'd spent almost every day with him, I'd shared a bed with him, I'd danced with him and he'd kissed me twice… but it was now that I was at my most nervous.

And I knew it was because of my fear of rejection…

"Hi," I muttered timidly once I'd reached him, brushing my hair behind my ear.

"Hey, you," he smiled as he turned his music off and jumped down from the crates, walking towards me.

 _Why is this so scary?_

"Um… so… like… how are you?" I asked, trying to act calm and nonchalant.

I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Maddie, you know you should be breathing right?" Dean asked. "Kinda helps you to live."

 _Huh? Oh, right!_

I let loose a breath I hadn't even realised I'd been holding. This was not going well and I was clearly making an absolute fool of myself.

"Yeah… I know…" I mumbled, flustered. "I'm good… I'm cool…"

He chuckled to himself, finally standing in front of me, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face. "Relax, sweetheart," he said. "It's just me."

"I know," I said, biting my lip. "I'm just nervous."

"And why's that?" he asked, licking his lips, taking half a step towards me until our chests were pressed together. He had a mischievous look in his eyes. I closed my eyes, my body encompassed by his scent, his warmth running through my veins, my fingers itching to touch his skin.

"You know why," I said, opening my eyes again.

He leaned forward so his mouth was right next to my ear. "But I wanna hear it," he murmured. "Tell me why you're nervous, Maddie."

My voice was shaky but I spoke anyway. "B-Because you kissed me…"

I heard his sharp intake of breath at my words. "And did you like it?"

"Yes," I nodded quickly. "I liked it."

I felt his nose run along my ear and across my jaw line. "Me too…"

I swallowed, my mouth running dry at this man's actions. My god, he was incredible. I wished he'd kissed me sooner, I wished he'd made his move before now, because this was amazing and I never wanted it to end.

"Dean…" I mumbled as he quickly pulled away, my blue eyes shooting up to look at his.

"Our match will be taking place soon," he said. "Why don't you hurry up to the top of the staircase, I'll take my IPod back to the locker room and I'll meet you up there," he suggested.

"Okay," I said, knowing I'd pretty much agree to anything he said considering the state I was in. I was putty in his hands right now.

He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and hurried away. I shook my head, trying to break myself from my Ambrose-infested trance, and hurried to the top of the staircase.

It didn't take me long to get there and I rested back on the wall of the corridor that led to the stairs, waiting for him. The place was deserted since only The Shield needed to be up here in order to make their entrance. I rested my head on the wall, wishing he'd hurry up.

Sure enough he appeared only seconds later. I smiled up at him as he approached me, fire in his eyes. I stood up straight, expecting him to come to a halt. But he didn't. He kept making his way towards me, his step never faltering as he reached me. He suddenly pressed me up against the wall, my lips gasping as he pressed his lips to mine hungrily.

My eyes fluttered closed, my throat releasing a moan as I relaxed into the kiss, my arms wrapping around his neck and his hands rested on my waist.

This was what he wanted – solitude, seclusion, a quiet place where he could get me on my own.

 _Oh, Dean Ambrose… You naughty man… You naughty but utterly fantastic man…_

I had to wonder why I'd felt so nervous before. This was never going to end badly, not when it came to him. There should never have been any fear or worry on my part. I wanted Dean Ambrose and he obviously wanted me.

I kissed him back with as much passion as he was kissing me, our lips moving in perfect sync, connecting and locking together like two pieces of the same puzzle. His hands moved up and down my body, shifting from my waist and sliding deliciously up my stomach. I moaned as they brushed lightly past my breasts, moving across my back and pulling me in closer.

He deepened the kiss, letting his tongue slip into my mouth. I hardly put up a fight; in fact I welcomed it. My tongue tangled with his and I felt his lips smirk against mine. This was just what he wanted and he was loving it.

He finally pulled away, biting my lip lightly between his teeth, initiating a gentle hiss from me before he finally let go.

He looked down at me, his eyes sparkling, full of lust and need. I could easily get lost in those eyes.

"I've been waiting all fucking weekend to do that," he said, his voice breathy as he forced oxygen into his lungs.

"You can do it as often as you like," I replied, letting out a single light chuckle.

"I'll hold you to that," he said, brushing his lips over mine once again, that familiar fluttering appearing once again in my stomach. This man would be the death of me, I was certain of it.

"Consider it an open offer," I said. "I'm never gonna say no."

"Mmmm…" he hummed, pressing his forehead to mine. "I like the sound of this." He ran his hands up and down my arms. "So I'm assuming my kiss at the weekend did not go unwanted?"

"Far from it," I smirked. "I wished you'd done it sooner. I've wanted it for so long."

"Oh, my sweet little Maddie," he smirked, a cheeky glint in his eye. "You don't know the half of what I've been through with you, the restraint I've had to show, the self-control I've had to command of myself all this time to not just let go and have my wicked way with you."

My cheeks flushed crimson as I looked up at him. "Then why didn't you show me sooner?"

"I had to be sure you were ready. I had to be sure you liked me in return. I couldn't fuck this up due to bad timing and poor judgement on my part. I had to be certain you felt the same."

I lightly brushed my fingers across his cheek, loving the roughness of his stubble across my skin. "Believe me, I feel the same."

A genuinely blissful smile spread across his lips. "I know. And that's why I kissed you. Because I knew you wouldn't push me away. I knew you'd kiss me back, that you wanted it as much as I did."

"And what is it that you actually want?" I asked, addressing the elephant in the room. Yes he'd kissed me, but would anything real come of this, or would it be some little fling, a bit of fun until we got bored of each other?

"You," he replied, his eyes boring down into mine, my heart thumping wildly at his words. "I want you, in any which way I can have you. All I know is that I must have you and I won't stop until do."

"Then I'm all yours," I whispered, kissing his lips lightly, enough to make the breath catch in his throat. It was good to know that I could affect him in the same way he affected me. It was insanely empowering.

"Promise?" he asked.

"Promise," I agreed. "So are we a thing now?"

"Yeah," he smiled as footsteps behind us indicated that the others were on their way. Reluctantly Dean pulled away. "We're a thing."

He offered me a wink and turned to walk away as Seth and Roman appeared before us, their hair wet, geared up for the fight. Dean and Roman were tag-teaming against Kane and Big Show.

"Ready to beat the shit out of those bastards tonight?" Seth asked as I joined their group.

"I've been waiting all week to wipe the smiles off their faces," smirked Dean. They all put their fists in the middle of the circle, my fist joining last.

"Let's go kick some Authority ass," said Roman as we broke our fists apart and made our way to the entrance of the staircase.

* * *

 **A huge thanks Lilygirl95,** **angelsdee327** **,** **finish-her** **, Ashley,** **Hollarious969** **, calwitch,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **Blue Moon Solstice** **,** **Bells love Jazz** **,** **Kakalove and my guest reviewer for their kind words. Don't forget to keep reviewing, following and favouriting.**


	25. World War Three

**S'up!**

 **Another day, another chapter. Get ready for a bit of plot progression here, folks. I sense a fight coming on…**

 **This chapter is named after World War Three by Jonas Brothers.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

 _Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield_

The Shield's theme surrounded around the arena, the eruption of the crowd's cheers filling our ears. The boys stepped through the curtain one by one, emerging in the arena, having done this many times before. I took a deep and unsteady breath, keeping my nerves at bay as I followed them, knowing this was my first time out with the boys.

There was no Dolph, but I had my hounds. And that's what mattered.

The four of us stood at the top of the staircase, their calm and sweet personalities gone as they entered their Shield mode. They became ruthless, menacing, tough, all in one instant, showing the crowd what they wanted to see.

We all slowly made our way down the stairs as Lilian Garcia announced us.

"This tag match is scheduled for one fall. First, from The Authority, the team of Big Show and Kane!" The crowd booed at the men standing in the ring, which was no surprise to us. "And their opponents, accompanied to the ring by Seth Rollins and Madeleine Ziggler, they are one half of The Shield, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose!"

 _One half… I like that…_

The audience went insane as we hopped over the barriers, Dean making sure I got over okay. Seth and I waited on the floor as Dean and Roman hopped into the ring, squaring up immediately to their opponents. They weren't messing around, they wanted to beat these guys down as quickly as possible and get it over with. They didn't have time for the likes of Kane and Big Show, not when they had enemies they wanted to get their hands on more.

Lilian Garcia left the ring and the bell rang, the match starting up with Dean and Kane. Big Show and Roman went to their respective corners and the fight began.

The pair locked up, Kane easily throwing Dean to the floor with a thud, causing me to wince. Dean was a grown man, fully capable of fighting and taking care of himself against this man, but it still hurt to watch the guy you liked get hurt. But Dean quickly made it to his feet, launching himself at Kane with a flurry of punches and hits, showing his insane persona. The crowd seemed to like this, cheering happily.

He backed Kane into a corner, hitting him constantly, the ref counting to five in order to stop him. By the count of four, Dean had backed off, not wanting to be disqualified. But seeing the opening, Kane hit Dean with a boot to the face and he fell to the mat. I gasped, rushing around the ring to where Dean was.

But he wasn't down for long. It took a lot of keep Ambrose down. He was soon back up, climbing the ropes and jumping from the corner, hitting Kane with a flying elbow. Kane fell to the mat and Dean rushed to tag in Roman, the crowd happy as Roman entered the ring.

I visibly relaxed once I saw he was okay, returning back to my corner beside Seth.

Roman threw Kane into the corner, constantly ramming him with his shoulder, the ref counting once again. Roman grabbed him, lifted him upon his shoulders and performed a Samoan drop, quickly going for the cover. Sadly Kane kicked out at one, the crowd not pleased by this.

The match carried on, teams tagging in and out, each side going on the offence and defence. Dean and Roman were holding themselves well against The Authority lackies. Even when Kane and Big Show had the upper hand, neither Shield member backed down. Big Show was about to slap Roman, but the powerhouse quickly knocked him out cold with a Superman Punch, the giant rolling out of the ring and onto the floor. But not before Kane could tag in first.

Roman quickly tagged Dean, the lunatic hitting the demon with a clothes line. Kane quickly got up, disorientated, wobbling on his feet. So Dean did what he does best and hit him with Dirty Deeds. Kane fell flat onto the mat, but the boys weren't finished yet. They wanted to be dominant, they wanted to make a statement. So they did.

Dean quickly tagged Roman then returned to Kane, lifting the man back onto his feet. He threw him in Roman's direction and the Samoan hit him with a spear.

Seth and I cheered wildly, the crowd erupting at the smooth move set both men had performed. With Kane down and out on the floor, the match was practically won. Roman went for the cover, the ref hitting the mat one… two…

And then Stephanie McMahon's music hit.

 _What's she doing here?_

Four pairs of eyes shot to the stage as she appeared and began to walk down the ramp, microphone in hand, smug smile on her face. Seth stood protectively infront of me, Dean highly uneasy on his feet in the ring. We all knew Stephanie had no qualms about letting anything happen to us, even me, especially after what she had allowed Randy to do during my previous time in a WWE ring.

Dean gestured for Seth and I to join them in the ring. I knew he didn't feel comfortable having me so far away from him at times like this, so we quickly climbed through the ropes, Roman quickly kicking Kane's unconscious body out of the ring.

Dean grabbed my arm, pulling me close as we watched Steph climb the steel stairs and enter the ring.

Just what the hell did she want?

Her music soon died and she lifted the microphone to her lips.

"Sorry to cut your match short, boys," she began. "But I couldn't resist coming out here to welcome back Madeleine and say happy birthday for the weekend."

I couldn't help but recoil a little, Dean and Seth subconsciously taking steps to move me protectively behind them.

"Well you've said it, so now you can leave," said Seth gruffly.

"And I also want to apologise for what happened with Randy a few weeks ago on Raw," she also said, causing my heart to drop into my stomach. I hated any mention of that night, any memory of what that sick bastard did to me. "But it has got me thinking… You're causing quite a stir backstage, what with you siding with your brother and now The Shield. And to be honest, it's causing problems for me."

"Problems?" asked Roman with a raised eyebrow.

"A lot of the superstars don't agree with what happened to you, Madeleine, and it's causing eruptions backstage. People aren't liking what we do, they aren't liking how we act, all because of you. They aren't listening to us, they are disobeying us, our employees are hating us. You're causing issues for business and I don't like that."

"That hatred is all your own doing," Dean smirked. "I always figured the whole world hated you."

"Witty as always, Dean," she smiled patronisingly to Ambrose. "But I don't like the problems you're causing us, Miss Ziggler, and I want to do something about it."

"And what exactly do you want to do?" asked Seth.

"It's quite simple," she said. "It's a way that solves my problems and is highly entertaining for the WWE Universe. I want a match at Summerslam. A team to represent me and a team to represent Madeleine. If her team wins, then The Authority will leave her be and cause no further problems for her."

No more problems? That would be amazing! No more Randy, no more attacks, no more issues at work.

"And if you're team wins?" asked Dean.

"Then Madeleine Ziggler is FIRED! And she will never step foot in the WWE again."

 _What?!_

I gasped, my eyes widening at her words. Holy shit, I could lose my job. I could get fired and never be allowed to work with this company again.

No… no… I couldn't let this happen… This job was the best thing to ever happen to me… It was my life… I couldn't lose it… I couldn't…

All three Shield members growled, clearly as unhappy with these terms as I was.

"And what if we turn the match down?" asked Seth.

"Then I fire her right here and now," Stephanie replied. "She's causing enough trouble, you're lucky I've even agreed to a match."

I swallowed hard, knowing I had no option but to fight for my job. I was going to be fired anyway so I may as well go down fighting and at least attempt to save it.

So I took a step forward and nodded, holding my hand out to Stephanie. "Deal," I said, The Shield boys all looking at me as we shook hands. "We'll fight."

"Fine, we agree," said Dean suddenly, pushing forward and standing at my side. "But we fight for her. The Shield are her team."

"Oh, Mr Ambrose. I wouldn't expect anything less," Stephanie smiled. "You see, my team also consists of three members so having you on Miss Ziggler's side is only fair."

I knew I didn't want to hear the answer to my question in my head, but I asked it anyway. "And who is your team?"

"Why, I'm so glad you asked," she smirked, turning around to look at the stage.

We all followed suit and looked as Motorhead began playing a familiar song, Triple H, Randy Orton and, to everyone's surprise, Batista coming out.

It was Evolution.

"Holy shit…" whispered Dean quiet enough that the microphones could not pick his words up.

The Shield took a step back, everyone's mouth agape they sauntered slowly down to the ring. The crowd went crazy at this turn of events, loving every moment of it, but we weren't so pleased. I had expected Stephanie to pull together an amazing team, she was the boss after all, but I had not expected this.

Evolution had dominated the WWE in the past, proving themselves not only as one of the strongest factions ever, but showing they were just as powerful as individuals too. They were a force to be reckoned with, a true showing of strength, and I had to admit I was scared.

The Shield were good. No… They were fucking amazing. They had dominated the roster, been fan favourites for months, and I trusted them completely with my life. But did they have it in them to defeat Evolution? Could they honestly defeat them in a three on three match and come out the victors?

I wasn't afraid to admit in that moment that I feared for my job.

They climbed into the ring, each one looking at us, and I'd never seen Orton look so smug in all my life. The bastard was extremely pleased, not only by the turn of events, but by the worrisome look on each of our faces. He could see the fear, he knew he had an upper hand.

The music finally died to chants of 'This Is Awesome' by the crowd. And it was awesome by all accounts. One of the most dominant factions of the WWE's past had reunited to take on the most dominant faction of the WWE's present. It's what every fan wanted.

But to us it wasn't awesome. It was a threat, a problem, a major risk to my job and me.

"You have Team Shield, I have Team Evolution," said Stephanie, her blue eyes staring down at me. "Still sure you want to do this? I don't mind firing you right now if you'd prefer."

"No need for that, Steph," smirked Dean. "We accept the challenge. And what's more, we'll win the challenge."

She laughed to herself, Triple H standing at his wife's side. "That's a big statement to make, little boy. Don't forget who you're dealing with here."

"Oh, we know," said Dean. "Three old has-beens. Some beefed up idiot who left WWE for Hollywood, some dude who got to the top by fucking the boss's daughter, and Randy Borton."

The crowd went wild at Dean's words and I couldn't help smirking a little myself. He was the biggest tease in the world and really knew how to push people's buttons.

Evolution however did not take kindly to what was said about them, both teams standing up to each other, nose to nose, all poised to fight.

"That's cute kid," said Triple H. "I'll make you eat those words at Summerslam."

"I don't think so," growled Roman. "You three don't stand a chance."

"And what makes you think that?" asked Randy.

"Because the hounds are hungry," said Seth. "And we've just found our next meal. We eat at Summerslam."

With that The Shield's theme sounded, Dean quickly grabbing my hand and leading us out of the ring and up the ramp, wanting to get me away as quickly as possible. The crowd erupted, Evolution watching us the entire time as we made it backstage, the four of us heading straight for our locker room, ignoring everyone that attempted to talk to us about what had just happened.

Once we were all inside, Roman shut the door and locked it. I took a seat on a bench, trying to process every thought that entered my head, wondering if what had just happened was a dream or not.

We had literally just agreed to fight fucking Evolution at Summerslam, with a defeat meaning the loss of my job. No more WWE, no more travelling, no more seeing my friends every day, no more seeing Dean every day…

I dropped my head into my hands, trying to keep my breathing normal. I felt sick.

What had we done?

I felt a body sit next to me and an arm wrap itself around me. It pulled me towards them and I rested my head on their chest as they rubbed my back.

"We must be fucking insane," I said.

"And why do you say that?" questioned Dean as he held me.

"Because we just agreed to fight Evolution. We put my job on the line." I moved to look up at his face. "If we lose, that's it! I'm out of here! I'm done for!"

He smiled down at me, and that's when I noticed the complete lack of worry or anxiety in his face. He looked relaxed, calm, collected.

"Maddie," he began. "Do you seriously think we'd have accepted that challenge if we didn't know we could win? We can do this, your job is safe."

"And what if we can't?" I asked. Sure, he seemed confident now, but when it came to it, could they honestly beat Evolution?

"Losing isn't an option," said Seth. "It's victory or nothing."

"They threatened one of our own," Roman added. "And as you've seen from how we've reacted in the past, we don't take too kindly to that."

He did make a point. They'd never let me down before. Any time I needed help, any predicament I was in, any occasion where I found myself in trouble, there they were. They always helped and they always won. If there was anyone I trusted to keep me safe, it was them.

"Evolution and Stephanie McMahon have no idea what they've done tonight," said Dean, linking my fingers with his. "They hurt you, upset you, threatened you. And that's got us angry. You don't have to worry about your job. They have to worry about theirs. Because once we're done with them, they won't be wrestling for a very long time."

I nodded, resting my head back on Dean's chest.

I had to believe them, I had to trust them. They'd never steered me wrong before and I had to keep believing The Shield would come through for me now.

After all, my hounds were hungry for blood, and it was Evolution's they wanted.

* * *

 **Thanks to calwitch, Tantoune,** **Hollarious969** **,** **Blue Moon Solstice** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **and Amy for their lovely reviews**


	26. Live To Win

**Hey, y'all.**

 **Its time for the big fight! Please remember, folks, that I am absolutely awful at writing wrestling matches and fight scenes so I'm sorry if some of what I have written here sucks and is complete crap. I did my very best for you all, so I apologise ahead of this.**

 **This is sort of the end of the first act of this little fic but by no means the end of the actually story. I have so much planned for Catch Your Breath, some of it awesome and some of it shocking, and I can't bloody wait for you all to read what I've concocted in my little head. But it's certainly the end of this particular storyline as such. But don't worry. There's much more in store after this.**

 **This chapter is named after 'Live To Win' by Paul Stanley. I love this song in the Warcraft ep. of South Park. It's my boyfriend's favourite episode so it was the first song to come to mind to go along with a good fight.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

It seemed like only moments ago that our match for Summerslam had been declared and yet the weeks had passed and it was already here. We left the hotel on Sunday afternoon and hopped into our hire-car, cases in the trunk, heading for the arena.

To say I was nervous was an understatement, I was downright petrified!

This could be it, my last ever time in a WWE ring. Because if The Shield lost this match, that was it for me. I was done for, unemployed, totally out of here. I'd be typing up the resumes Monday morning and getting them sent out to every single job I was qualified for.

I looked anxiously out of the car window as we drove.

Dolph had been pissed when he'd found out the terms of the match. He wanted to march right into Stephanie McMahon's office right there and then. But doing that would have only meant two Zigglers would have been unemployed rather than just one. He was in no position to question or fight them on this without risking his own job. He hated to admit it, but he knew my fate was in the hands of The Shield. My job relied on the hounds.

I couldn't even bare the thought of not doing this job every single day, living my dream, working with the people I loved, doing a job that I'd spent years studying to do. I'd really found my home here, I'd really settled in and found a job that I loved and enjoyed. Half the time it didn't even feel like a job. Not only had it brought me closer to my brother and my friends, but it had led me to new friends, and forming a bond with a guy that was out of this world.

I owed so much to this job – my happiness, my friends, Dean.

Without it none of that would have been possible. So to think that it could all be over tonight swirled complete anxiety and panic in my head. I felt nauseous, terrified, not wanting to think about it but knowing it was all I could think about. It was a vicious circle and I wanted everything to just be over so I could know my fate regardless of the outcome.

There was nothing worse than being in limbo, and I was really feeling it now.

A hand suddenly grabbed mine, lacing our fingers together. I looked up at Dean as he sat beside me, the lunatic offering me his warmest and kindest smile.

He'd seen my anxiety build over the weeks leading up to Summerslam, he'd seen how low I'd been, how snappy I'd been, how depressed I'd been, but he stood by me through it all, keeping me grounded and keeping me sane. Whether it was a cuddle here or a kiss there, he always kept me reassured that everything would be alright, that my job was safe and that the guys would do everything in their power to make sure they won the match.

I smiled back up at him, seeing the adulation and adoration in his eyes and I couldn't help but feel the same. Dean was one hell of a man, one hell of a partner, and after all he'd done for me on the build up to Summerslam I knew all my like for him was definitely transforming into love.

I was falling, and I was falling hard for the crazy lunatic.

He squeezed my hand in his, letting me silently know he was here for me and that he wasn't leaving me. He would never let me down, and I kept faith that my hounds would win this fight. I had to believe because the other outcome wasn't an option for me.

I needed my job, and I would fight to the very end to keep it.

The car pulled up to the arena and we parked up, getting out the car and wheeling our cases inside. I took deep breaths to calm the pounding heart within my chest that was constantly threatening to escape. It took all my will power not to scream or cry or panic. But I kept it together, refusing to show weakness at this important time.

We entered our locker room and quickly changed into our ring gear. My hands were clammy, my leg constantly twitching as I waited for the boys to change. Wearing only jeans and a top meant I was changed within seconds. The boys had to suit up more so it always took them longer.

I sat on the bench, bouncing my foot off the floor. The afternoon had quickly turned into evening and the PPV had already begun. I could hear the muffled sound of the crowd deep in the arena as the first matches began. It didn't help my nerves. Every match passing brought us closer to ours and I was slowly beginning to freak.

And then I was beyond surprised when Seth suddenly knelt in front of me, grasping my hands in his, rubbing his thumbs soothingly against my palms.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked softly. "You're shaking like a leaf."

Seth had become an awesome friend in the time that I'd known him and he always had my best interests at heart. He'd seen too how uneasy I'd been over the weeks building to Summerslam.

I swallowed. "I'm scared, Seth," I said honestly. "I'm seriously scared right now."

I could feel the familiar stinging behind my eyes of building tears, but I refused to let them fall. He smiled reassuringly.

"It's gonna be fine, Maddie. I-"

A disgruntled cough came from behind him, Dean looking down at the two of us. Seth stood and Dean quickly took his place, my body relaxing a little to know I was beside my lunatic.

"Seth's right, sweetheart," he said. "It's gonna be fine."

"Is it?" I asked. "Is it though?"

He let out a sigh, raising one hand to cup my cheek. "Maddie, I'm gonna win this for you, okay? There is no way in hell that I'm doing this job every day without my girl at my side. We're focused and ready. Everything will be fine."

"I know," I said. "But I can't shake off the negative feelings."

He leant forward, pressing his forehead to mine. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course I do," I replied.

"Then trust me when I say we've got this," he said. "I've never been more hungry for a fight in my life. They won't win."

I let out a shaky breath as he softly pressed his lips to mine in a sweet kiss. "I believe in you," I whispered. "We'll win this."

He smiled as he pulled away, stroking my hair. "That's my girl."

We stood as Roman emrged, all four of us standing together.

"We ready for this?" asked Seth.

"Ready as we'll ever be," smiled a pumped up Roman. "I can't wait."

They all put their fists together.

"Let's show The Authority how hungry the hounds are," smirked Dean as my fists joined theirs.

"Let's do this," I finished as our fists broke apart and we exited the locker room.

xXx

 _Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield_

The music sounded and we all made our way down the stairs case, guided by the wild cheers of the crowd. Evolution were already in the ring but their presence was all but forgotten by the fans as we made our entrance, The Shield the clear favourites for this match.

We made it down to the barriers and hopped over, Dean helping me, before we climbed the steel steps and entered the ring. Inside was Triple H, Batista, Orton and Stephanie, The Shield immediately squaring up to Evolution, all six men standing nose to nose. They didn't want to waste time. They wanted to get this done.

Stephanie stared me down so I simply looked back at her, refusing to show my fear, showing only bravery and strength.

She had her boys and I had mine. But my hounds were stronger, they were going to win.

Once Lilian Garcia announced the teams, Steph and I left the ring and the bell rang. All six men immediately locked up with each other, The Shield quickly getting the upper hand. Through Dean's punches, Seth's kicks and Roman's sheer size, they managed to throw all three members of Evolution from the ring, something which greatly pleased the crowd.

They stood tall in the ring, and my confidence slowly began to grow and their great show of strength. Once Evolution got up and rethought their tactics, each team stood in their corners, the match staring with Seth and Randy.

The two immediately locked up, grappling for dominance in the match, Randy quickly throwing Seth to the ground. I winced knowing the upper-hand the boys had previously had was slowly diminishing. They'd pissed Evolution off and they were now retaliating.

Seth was quickly back up on his feet, Randy charging at him. Seth fought back this time, hitting him full on in the face with a drop kick, The Viper dropping to the mat. The crowd cheered and Seth tagged in Dean, the man twitching, eager to fight.

No sooner had Orton got up was Dean on him, punching him in a flurry of flying fists, hitting him as much as he could. Orton threw him off and Dean rolled backwards as Triple H was tagged in. Dean smirked, loving the fact he had the opportunity to beat the shit out of the boss.

He flew at Triple H but The Game caught him, knocking him to the ground with a side slam. The crowd booed so I began to hit the side of the apron, desperate to rally around The Shield and boost their confidence. My hands were shaking but I hit that mat regardless.

The match had been fifty-fifty so far and I had to maintain that confidence I had in the guys despite the fact that I was petrified inside.

Hearing the cheers of myself and the crowd, Dean was soon back up and the fight continued.

It was back and forth, throughout the match, Seth and Randy taking the fight outside the barriers of the ring at one point, the crowd loving that they were fighting amongst them. Roman and Batista were the current legal men, Roman hitting him with a Superman Punch and going in for the cover. My hands grasped my hair in annoyance as he kicked out at two.

I should have known it would take more than a Superman Punch to keep down The Animal.

Roman was as tired as Batista as he crawled slowly to the corner where Dean was waiting, his arm outstretched for the tag. Sadly, Batista had the same idea, slowly taking himself over to a waiting Triple H. Both men tagged at the same time, Dean and Hunter flying into the ring. Dean hit him with a barrage of clothes lines, grabbing his head and finishing him with a running bulldog.

He quickly went for the cover, Triple H kicking out at two.

I bit my lip, pacing along the floor as I got more and more edgy. This was taking longer than I thought, and Evolution were putting up a better fight than we thought. Seth and Orton were off fighting somewhere in the crowd, Roman and Batista were on the floor, completely out of it, and Dean and Hunter were giving a very even match in ring.

It was hard to tell where the match was going to go.

But then Triple H fought back.

Seeing Dean sitting on the mat in surprise after the kick out, he quickly grabbed him and maneuvered himself into the figure four leg lock, holding Dean tightly in the submission.

"No!" I screamed as Dean cried out in pain, the audience hating this turn of events. Dean fought to get to the ropes but Hunter had him tightly. Escape was practically impossible. "Let him go!" I cried. "Please let him go!"

This was it. This was the end. Dean couldn't free himself, he was done for. The only escape was to tap out and that would mean losing the match. The pressure on Dean's leg looked terrible and I knew he was unbelievable pain.

I jumped up onto the apron, ready to jump into the ring and break this up. It would result in a disqualification and losing my job, but I didn't care. Dean was hurting and I had to get to him.

"Shut your mouth," said Steph as she marched over to me angrily, pulling me down from the apron. My feet landed on the floor but my face was suddenly met with a slap as she hit me. My face flew to the side, my mouth agape in shock at what she'd just done.

I looked back up at her, my fingers running along my lip, my eyes looking down to see blood. I clenched my hand into a fist and ran my tongue along my lip to clean up what was there.

"Now back the hell off!" she yelled at me. But my jaw was tense, my fist tight, my teeth gritted.

Now I was fucking pissed.

This fight had nothing to do with us, but she'd just attacked and got us involved.

 _Well if she wants a fight, she can have one._

"No, you back the hell off," I replied, jumping forward and hitting her with a superkick. Dolph had taught me well and the move hit her in the face, knocking her straight to the ground.

The crowd were on their feet, their hands raised as they chanted, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Triple H let go of the submission immediately, running to the ropes to check on his wife. And this was just the opening Dean needed.

He whipped The Game round and quickly hit him with Dirty Deeds, Hunter dropping right to the floor. He quickly went for the pin, the ref hitting the mat one-two-three.

The crowd erupted.

I stood in absolute shock, my eyes wide, my hand clasping my mouth as The Shield's music hit, the ref raising Dean's hand in victory.

They'd done it… They'd won… My job was safe… I was safe…

I couldn't believe it.

"And your winners," announced Lilian Garcia. "The Shield!"

Seth appeared from nowhere, entering the ring and jumping on Dean in victory, the two hugging it out. Roman was soon on his feet and ran to me, wrapping me up in a brotherly hug, lifting me from my feet, swinging me round.

Evolution just lay there in shock, Stephanie unable to believe what had happened. She knew that was it now. She couldn't fire me or touch me again. Those were her terms and she knew she'd have to stand by them.

Roman and I quickly joined Dean and Seth in the ring, all of us linking hands and holding our arms up in victory as the music played and the crowd cheered.

Triple H rolled out of the ring, Steph rushing to his side as I took in the applause.

Dean let everyone's hand go, rushing to me and embracing me to him, his happiness as evident as mine. I wrapped my arms around his waist, not caring that the entire world could see us as he looked down at me.

"Told you we'd do it," he winked as all three men rallied around me, lifting me onto their shoulders so the audience could applaud me.

I couldn't keep the grin from my face or the happiness from my heart which was threatening to burst from my chest. It was over, all of it was over.

The Authority could never touch me again.

* * *

 **A massive thanks to** **Hollarious969** **, Blue Moon Solstice, calwitch,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **and Tantoune for their lovely reviews. You guys are awesome. Don't forget to keep the follows, favourites and reviews coming.**

 **Also, just gonna throw this out there, I'd love a new cover photo/banner for this story. However I am utterly rubbish at anything like that. So if anyone is interested in creating a little something for me and Catch Your Breath, send me a little PM.**


	27. Party Girl

**Hey, y'all!**

 **Hope we're all well! Apologies this chapter isn't out a little earlier. I've recently discovered Attack On Titan and have been watching it addictively instead of sitting at my computer to write hehe. But it's here now so all is well!**

 **Let's call this the beginning of Act 2**

 **This chapter is named after 'Party Girl' by McFly**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

To say we were going to celebrate that night was an understatement. We were going to fucking party and enjoy ourselves till the clubs closed and the sun rose!

I had my fucking job back and The Authority could never touch me again, no matter how much they wanted to.

The boys didn't care how exhausted they were after the fight that evening. They just wanted to go out and celebrate the insane victory they had just achieved together. They wanted to congratulate me and they wanted to party with everyone. And I couldn't say I didn't blame them.

What had just taken place in the ring had been amazing to witness. The fighting, the strength, the sheer resilience The Shield showed against their enemies. They were accepting nothing less than victory and that's just what they got. Evolution had been completely annihilated, Triple H, Batista and Orton destroyed under The Shield's power.

Never again could Batista return to fight me, never again could Triple H and Stephanie threaten me, never again could Randy Orton attack me or make me feel uncomfortable.

I had freedom now. The Shield's sacrifice meant no more worrying ever again.

And to think they were doing all this for me, to keep me safe, to give me job security, to not let The Authority get away with the terrible things they were planning. I knew I held a special place in Dean's heart but now I truly knew how much Roman and Seth cared for me too.

This was beyond a friendship for all of us. We all shared such a special and important bond and I knew I had friends and companions for life with these men. I wasn't just some girl who they'd been forced to work with, I was someone special to them, and this had been clearly proven.

Nobody stands up to The Authority without wanting to face some kind of issue or problem. But they had done so with no questions asked.

They did it for me, and I would never be able to thank the hounds enough.

So we all got ourselves ready and dressed up in order to venture out for the evening. I opted for something sleek and sophisticated, wearing a navy blue dress and matching heels. My hair hung around my shoulders, my makeup smoky but classy. I admired myself in the mirror, the night's events meaning the smile would not leave my face. I had to admit, I looked hot.

Dean seemed to think so too.

"Holy fuck," he said as he entered the bedroom where I was getting myself ready. He was wearing black jeans and a grey shirt. He looked delectable.

"Do I look alright?" I asked, smoothing my dress down.

"I hope you don't like that dress too much, because in all honesty I wanna rip it right off you and leave it on the floor in shreds," he said honestly.

I blushed as he came to wrap his arms around my waist, kissing me softly.

"It would be a shame. I love this dress," I said as he pulled away, looking down at me.

"I wonder how good it looks on the floor?" he asked.

"All in good time, Dean," I winked teasingly as I left his arms and walked out of the room.

So once Roman and Seth were ready we finally headed out for the night. We weren't alone, several superstars joining us, including the twins, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Natalya and Tyson Kidd, Cesaro, Paige, Naomi, The Usos, Dolph and Lana.

The cheers and cries were over the top when we got there, everyone wishing me a huge congratulations. But I didn't care how loud they were. Everyone was rejoicing in our win and that was good enough to me. They could be as loud and rowdy as they wanted.

Though the nerves suddenly appeared when the cheers died down as Dolph asked for a word with Dean and I. Dolph looked serious, suddenly turning on his big brother mode and I dreaded to think what this was about. After everything The Shield had done for me, surely he wasn't about to say something bad or belittling.

Either way, he sat us down in a quieter section of the club and began to talk.

"Listen," he began, linking his fingers and resting his hands on the table. He looked at Dean. "We all know I have a history with you guys, shit has happened in the past and we're never truly going to see eye to eye."

"Yeah, I understand that," said Dean shifting around uncomfortably in his seat. There was nothing worse than the talk from your girlfriend's big brother. I rested a calming hand on his thigh to reassure him.

"But what you guys did for my sister tonight was truly brave, honorable and admirable," my brother finally smiled. "It takes a good man to do that for the woman he cares about."

"Well there was no way I was going to let them punish her like that," Dean said, taking my hand from his thigh and holding it within his own, linking our fingers. "I'd never let anything like that happen to her."

"And I appreciate what you're doing for her," Dolph continued. "She smiles more, she's brighter, she genuinely seems more happy." I blushed at my brother's words. "I'm not saying you and I will be best friends from now on, Dean, but I wanted to let you guys know I approve of whatever it is you two have going on."

My smile was beaming as his words sunk in. He approved! "Really?"

Dolph and The Shield had always had this animosity between them, hence why I never flaunted my friendship with them in front of him, and definitely mentioned nothing about Dean and I being a thing. Clearly I hadn't hidden it that well as he'd guessed.

But that was the thing with Dolph and I – we knew each other so well. I knew about him and Lana before he'd even realised it himself, and now he knew about Dean and I. But to have his approval meant the entire world to me, and it was a relief knowing Dean and I could peruse a relationship with his blessing.

"Yes," he laughed as I stood up and threw my arms around him. "Just don't get all kissy and gooey around me. I don't need to see that from my little sister."

I laughed with sheer bliss. "Deal."

xXx

The night wore on, and exhausted as I was from dancing, I didn't stop! I didn't want to; I wanted to make the very best of this evening. We had a reason to party and I was determined to enjoy myself to the very end. I danced with the twins, Paige, even Roman at one point. And I loved every moment of it.

After finishing my Cosmo and placing my empty glass down, I was suddenly grabbed by my most favourite human being in the world, his warm arms pulling me against his chest. He smiled down at me, those baby blue eyes sparkling, looking at me as if I were the only woman in the world.

"You look happy," I noted.

"I've got a beautiful woman in my arms," Dean said. "One which I've barely seen all evening because she's been so in demand with everyone else."

"I'm a popular woman," I smirked, loving the feel of his fingers rubbing small circles in my back. "I can't help it if everyone wants a piece of me."

"Well I don't give a shit how in demand you are right now, I'm taking my woman and I'm going to dance with her."

I giggled, loving the cheeky grin playing on his lips. "Then lead me to the dancefloor, Mr Ambrose."

So he took my hand and did just that, leading me through the crowds till we found our own little spot to dance. He turned me to face him, placed his hands on my hips and swayed me gently to the music. My arms wrapped around his shoulders, my hands occasionally creeping up to stroke the hair at the nape of his neck. It sent shivers up his spine every time and I loved seeing his face when it did.

"You're being naughty, Maddie," he said, even though I knew he was loving every moment of it.

"I deserve to be naughty. Its not like The Authority can punish me for it," I winked.

"You're damn right they can't," he said as we moved to the music. "Not anymore. A deal's a deal. And after Dirty Deeds, I doubt Triple H will be able to threaten anyone for a very long time."

"And it's all thanks to you," I smiled, rubbing my nose against his. "I don't know how to thank you."

"I dunno, I think I've got an idea," he said, his eyes darkening.

I blushed profusely, biting my lip at his words. Yeah, I knew exactly what his idea was.

Dean and I had yet to be… intimate. We'd been together a few weeks, but during that time so much had gone on. The whole threat from The Authority before Summerslam had meant my head had not been on properly. I'd been highly anxious and completely on edge the entire time, so much so that something like intimacy and sex had been the last thing on my mind.

And Dean had been patient. He'd seen the state I was in and offered me comfort and love in more suitable ways, staying by my side, cuddling me, kissing me, sleeping beside me, never pushing me for anything else as he knew I wasn't in that place.

But that problem was over now. The Authority were no longer a threat and my head was completely clear of worry. So I knew what he wanted as his thanks.

And to be completely honest, I wanted it too.

So badly.

So insanely badly.

Dean was fucking hot! It was an easy statement to make and anyone with a working pair of eyes could see it was true. His face, his body, everything about him turned me on and I wanted him as much as he wanted me. We'd both waited so long for the moment and we both needed it so bad.

I looked up at him, seeing the lust and need in his eyes.

"And what's that?" I asked him, feigning ignorance and innocence.

He smirked. "Don't play coy. You know exactly what I mean."

"Yeah I do. But I wanna hear it," I said, repeating his words to me on that first evening at Raw after his kiss at my party.

His eyes darkened further as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "You, naked, in my bed, screaming my name…"

 _Oh… wow…_

I released a shaky breath, my cheeks heated and my heart thumping at his words. My body felt warm, butterflies flooding my stomach, and I knew my panties were probably soaked. With one single sentence, this man had turned me to complete mush.

"I'm s-sure I can ask for… for our own separate room at r-reception when we get back to the hotel tonight," I said.

I felt his hands tighten on my hips. "That's my girl," he said as I relaxed into his hold. "I can't wait."

And then he gently lowered his lips to mine.

I sighed against his mouth, completely unable to get bored of kissing Dean Ambrose.

It was something I'd only ever dreamed about, and ever since we decided to be friends all those months ago, I always thought kissing him would be a one time thing. Something I'd never be able to repeat, no matter how much I wanted to. How wrong I'd been! We were a thing now, an item, and I could have as many kisses as I desired.

And I desired many!

Each kiss was as good as the last, all of them making my legs turn to jelly, making goosebumps rise along my skin, causing those tingles fill my entire stomach. It was honestly my favourite thing in the world to do, and I'd do it every second of the day if I were able.

We eventually pulled away, simply looking into each other's eyes as we danced, all those feelings of lust, adoration and perhaps love filling my heart.

It still felt unreal. He liked me, I liked him.

I was his.

He was mine.

And the moment felt utterly perfect.

And then something in the corner of my eyes caught my attention. I looked over Dean's shoulder to see a very flustered Seth with a phone to his ear. His face was red, his hair was in disarray as he ran his hands through it, and his mouth looked to be talking at a hundred miles an hour.

My eyebrows furrowed. Something seemed wrong.

"Is Seth okay?" I asked Dean as Seth suddenly bolted from sight, heading to the exit.

Dean shrugged. "As far as I'm aware he is. Why wouldn't he be?"

"He's just left the club. I think he's having a bad phone call."

"Well we'll give him a few minutes and if he's not back we'll go check on him," Dean suggested.

I didn't like this idea. Seth was always so cool, calm and relaxed. I had just seen him the complete opposite of that so something major had to be wrong. I wanted to go now. Seth had always been there for me, something which he'd proven in the ring tonight. So I wanted to be there for him.

"Listen, why don't you go get us some drinks and I'll go check on him and bring him back," I said. "He looked upset."

"Okay, angel," he said, kissing my forehead. "I'll get the drinks and sit with Roman. But I'm sure he's fine."

Either way I wanted to check. So Dean headed to the bar and I rushed outside in order to figure out what the hell was going on.

He was across the road when I spotted him, the phone still to his ear. I couldn't make out his words but his voice seemed rather animated, his hands flying everywhere as he spoke. I stayed where I was for a few brief moments, letting him finish the call in peace.

Whatever was happening and whoever he was talking to meant that he didn't seem at all happy.

This night had been so wonderful, so positive, and we were here to celebrate and have a good time. But for Seth this was being completely ruined by some apparent argument or bad news.

He finally hung up and dropped himself onto a nearby set of stone steps, his head in his hands as he sat there. Taking this as my cue, I quickly crossed the road and made my way over to him.

He was completely silent and still, his previous happy self gone. He slowly raised his hands, threading his fingers into his hair and pulling in frustration. I didn't like this. I didn't like it at all.

"Seth?" I asked gently as I approached him. "Is everything okay?"

He let out a breath, looking up at me. His eyes looked vacant, lost, deflated.

"Leighla's just broken up with me…" he said.

* * *

 **A gigantic thanks to calwitch,** **Hollarious969** **,** **Crazychiksxxxx** **,** **Tantoune** **, KakaLove, Janis and Angel for their lovely reviews. You guys are awesome.**


	28. Lonely Boy

**Hello!**

 **How are we all today? Hope you're ready for another chapter. I am loving writing this little story and I have so many ideas planned in my head. So much is going to happen and I can't wait to write it all and for you lovely lot to read it. This story is under the drama category and I plan to bring the drama with this chapter! Because what's a good story without a bit of drama?**

 **Let's get on with it, shall we?**

 **This chapter is named after 'Lonely Boy' by The Black Keys**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I looked at Seth blankly, not quite sure if I'd heard him correctly.

Because to me it sounded like he'd just told me Leighla had left him.

Last time I had seen them together was at my party, but they had seemed happy, sweet and in love. A few cracks showed because of her cold attitude, but what relationship is perfect? To me they seemed united and together. What the fuck was he talking about?

The music in the club had been loud and we'd all had plenty to drink, so I did wonder if I'd misheard his words.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked.

"She's ended it all, Maddie!" he said, his voice raised. "She's fucking walked out on me. I can't fucking believe this…"

I sighed, sitting next to him, not taking his shouting to heart.

"Seth…" I said, honestly not knowing what to say in such a situation. What can anyone really say to someone who's just been dumped? Nothing would ever make it better or solve the issue. So I just said what I thought was best. "I'm so sorry."

"I should have seen it coming," he said, running his hands through his hair. "We've been on the rocks for weeks now. Something hasn't been right between us. I just thought it was something we could work through, a glitch in the relationship. I didn't think she'd call everything off."

I rubbed his back softly, offering him any ounce of support I could. "We're all here for you," I tried. "No matter what."

"She sounded so harsh to me on the phone," he said. "So cruel."

"What did she say?" I asked.

"That I'm self indulgent, obsessed with my job, that I always choose my friends over her." He dropped his head into his hands again.

"Seth, we know you're not like that," I said.

"All I wanted to do was go out tonight with you guys and celebrate," he said. "But no, she had to find fault with it. She had to get pissy because I wanted to be with my friends and do a work thing. After what we achieved tonight, she should be supporting me, congratulating me. But no, she gets mad, she makes me out to be the bad guy, she ruins everything. She's always ruining everything."

I watched Seth as he spoke, noticing how his tone got more and more angry, and I had to wonder to myself if everything was as black and white as he was making out. From the way he was talking, he didn't seem happy with Leighla either and I had to wonder if he was as sad about this breakup as he was acting.

He didn't have a good word to say about her, and everything he said was accusatory. I was sensing more and more that his perfect relationship hadn't been as perfect as it appeared on the surface. A small part of me was beginning to think he was happy about it all, that he was finally free and didn't have to put up with her anymore.

But then again he was emotional, and breakups affected different people in different ways. It was like he was experiencing the five stages of grief. His initial response after the phone call had been denial. But now he had swiftly moved on to the anger stage.

But I was no psychologist. I was simply his friend and I'd be there for him to talk to.

"Seth, I'm sure she's not that bad, and I'm sure she had her reasons," I tried.

"She hates my job, and she hates my friends. Any time I do anything with the guys, she gets angry and doesn't speak to me. Yet she can do whatever the hell she likes with her friends."

He was getting more and more worked up. "I'm sure she doesn't hate us that much," I said.

"Are you kidding? I saw the shit she was pulling at your party," he said, looking up at me.

"I mean, she was a little cold, but-"

"But nothing. She's always like it, just ask Dean and Roman," he said. "I do so much for her but the moment I ask for anything in return she acts like a total bitch. It was your birthday, and her first time meeting you, and she barely spoke two words to you."

"I was busy that day anyway," I said, trying to lessen the hurt he was feeling over her actions. "I barely noticed, so it didn't hurt or upset me."

"It may not have affected you, but it affected me," he said. "I asked for one day where she put in some fucking effort and I didn't get it. Galina came and she was so sweet to you, but Leighla could barely make eye contact. She hates it when I spend anytime with another woman, even though I insisted several times Dean had his eye on you and you liked Dean and there was nothing to worry about. And now tonight, during one of the biggest victories of my career and one of the best nights of my life, she does this."

His head dropped into his hands again and I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, pulling him to me.

"Then don't let her ruin it," I said. "Don't let the negativity bring you down. You have the three of us, and we will never let you down or let you go. Maybe if she can hurt you so much at a time like this, she wasn't the right person for you."

He looked up at me, his eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You don't hurt those you care about, Seth," I said as he wiped away the few tears that had built in his eyes. "If she keeps doing this sort of stuff, then maybe she shouldn't be in your life to keep bringing you down. After all, love shouldn't hurt."

He blinked for a few seconds, taking in my words and flipping them around in his head.

And the words were right. If you love someone and care for them, you don't do things to hurt them. You don't upset them. Relationships are about compromise and doing things for each other. They're about give and take. You take good and bad, and do everything in your power to make that other person happy. And it seemed to me that Seth was the only one doing this. Leighla was simply taking a back seat whilst he did all the work. And if that happens, the relationship is bound to crumble.

It's a two way street yet Leighla was only making it work one way.

"You know what? You're right," he said, looking down to the side walk. "You're completely right."

"If she was genuinely making you this unhappy, Seth, then consider that phone-call a blessing in disguise. You don't need that negativity in your life, because eventually it'll eat you up and destroy you. You're one of the strongest people I know, don't let this break you."

He looked at me, a warm and sweet smile creeping onto his lips. "Considering you're only 23, you've really got your head screwed on, kid."

I chuckled. "Dolph's the hot headed sibling, I'm the smart one."

He laughed lightly as I continued to rub his back. "I don't need someone like that in my life, do I?"

"No," I replied. "You deserve someone sweet, kind, caring. Someone who gives a shit and someone who will support you no matter what. You are so loving and funny and great. You're one of my best friends and you deserve only the best woman."

He smiled at me. "Thanks, Maddie."

"So don't think of this breakup as a bad thing. Think of it as gaining your freedom and releasing the weight that's been weighing you down."

"Yeah…" he said. "You are definitely the smarter Ziggler. No offense to Dolph."

I laughed. "We all know it's the truth. So how about we pick ourselves back up, go back into that club and celebrate our victory?"

"I think I'm gonna go back to the hotel," he said with a sigh. "This whole thing hasn't exactly left me in the partying mood."

"Well then I'm coming with you," I said, much to his surprise.

"No, you go back. Dean will be waiting and this night is all about you."

"My friends come first, Seth. As much of a good thing as this breakup is, you still have to deal with losing a person in your life and dealing with the breakdown of your relationship. You shouldn't be alone right now."

"Maddie… you really should go back," he tried.

"Then let's compromise. I'll go back with you and stay till you're all settled. Then I'll come back to the club."

He sighed. "Okay, deal. But you better promise to go back."

"Of course I will. Someone has to make sure Dean and Roman get in a taxi safely in their drunken state."

This lightened the mood and caused Seth to laugh. "Okay. I can agree to that."

So I phoned Dean and let him know of the plan. He wasn't too happy at first that I was leaving, but after explaining everything that had gone on, he understood. He knew Seth needed someone and we both knew he and Roman were far too drunk to make a good companion for their brother right now. So he let me go, knowing I'd at least be safe with Seth. So we both hopped in a cab and went to the hotel.

We entered the room Seth was sharing with The Shield. I was having to share with the Bellas since there weren't any rooms in the hotel to house four people. He switched on the light to the room and went into the bathroom to change for bed.

I sat on Dean's bed, waiting for him to emerge, lying back on the soft cozy quilt, resting my head on the pillow that already smelt of my man. I breathed in the scent, a content smile gracing my lips.

In all the mess of hearing how bad Seth's relationship had been, I had forgotten how utterly amazing mine and Dean's was.

I closed my eyes, imagining his beautiful face, and I still had to pinch myself that everything was actually happening. It still felt unreal that Dean Ambrose wanted me, that he had me, that I was completely his. He was the kind of guy a woman dreams about. Someone who is tough, strong and handsome, yet sweet, caring and funny. He was the whole package and I still could not believe I could call him mine.

I let out a yawn as I hugged his pillow tighter, not realising how tired I had been. The night's activities had totally worn me out and I lay there exhausted. I knew Seth needed a friend but my body had other ideas. So the picture of my lunatic's gorgeous smiling face stayed behind my eyelids as I gently drifted off to sleep.

xXx

Seth Rollins's Point Of View

I emerged from the bathroom in shorts and a t-shirt, my hair tied back, ready to sleep and just forget everything that had happened since the phone-call. If she could ruin the most important night of my career for her stupid selfish reasons, then she was honestly not worth my time and effort.

I'd wasted years of my life on Leighla and now I wanted to go to bed and just forget about her.

But I was completely surprised to find my buddy for the night lying down on Dean's bed fast asleep!

She was lying curled up, hugging the pillow to herself tightly, almost as if she were afraid to let it go. Her hair had fallen over her face and I couldn't help but smile as I sat down beside her, gently brushing it out of the way. Her eyes were closed tightly, her mouth slightly open as she breathed in and out gently.

Maddie had really given me some food for thought tonight, and she'd put a lot of things into perspective for me.

My initial feelings when Leighla had ended everything were hurt, sadness and the fear that I'd have nobody. Having been with someone for so long, the thought have not having a partner was genuinely terrifying. It was the fear of being single.

But Maddie's words had made me realise I was doing more of a disservice to myself by staying with Leighla. The woman never put me first, she was selfish, she was cold. She hated my job and never accepted my friends, and she'd always find ways to make me feel guilty for living the life I led. And I deserved someone who didn't do that.

I deserved a woman who loved me unconditionally, a woman who made me smile in the morning and last thing at night. A woman who treated me as an equal, as a partner, and someone who they loved. And Leighla never did any of those things.

I'd always worn rose tinted glasses with her. Throughout my relationship she could never do wrong in my eyes. She was the perfect woman who was everything I could have ever dreamt of. And as the years passed and my life changed for the better, instead of joining me on my journey, she refused to accept it. She never congratulated me on a victory. She never offered me a well done every time I did something the fans would cheer for. And towards the end, she rarely said I love you.

Yes I'd been upset and hurt, but the more Maddie spoke to me, the more I'd known she was a hundred percent correct. Leighla didn't deserve me and I needed someone better in my life.

I looked down at the blonde haired girl beside me, grasping how important her words were and how they were effecting me. Her little speech outside the club had made me feel more than Leighla had made me feel in all the years we were together. I gently stroked her long golden hair, noticing how silky it was.

She made me see that I needed a decent woman, a kind woman, a loving woman…

Her chest gently rose and fell.

A sweet woman, a caring woman, a woman who saw me as a person and not someone who they could boss around and take advantage of…

I gently stroked her cheek, her skin soft and warm below my fingers.

A gentle woman, a beautiful woman, a woman who treated me as an equal... A woman with golden hair, blue eyes, soft skin-

 _Shit!_

No!

I suddenly stood up, turning away from her sleeping floor, my breathing heavy, my eyes wide, my body in shock.

 _What the fuck, Seth?!_

No, I couldn't think like that. Not Maddie. She was my friend, my buddy, and my brother's fucking girlfriend! What the fuck was I doing?!

She was a great person, but it wasn't anything like that…

I rubbed a hand over my face.

She was Maddie, my friend. Sure, she was sweet, funny, caring, beautiful…

 _Fuck!_

I was doing it again!

Maddie was my friend and that was it. She was one of the guys and Dean's fucking girlfriend. I would never go there. I would never break his trust like that and ruin either of their lives. I loved them both too much to do anything so untoward.

 _It was just her speech from earlier and her kindness. It's nothing like that…_

But as I turned back to look at her, those thoughts refused to leave my head. I mean, she _was_ beautiful. She _was_ kind. She was probably the best woman I knew.

And my mind fucking petrified me.

Knowing I needed to stop this here and now, I decided to return her to her room so I could rest in peace. So I found her room key in her bag, picked her up bridal style and carried her from the room, heading down the corridor.

The way I was carrying her was in no way helping, especially when her sleeping form snuggled up to my chest, so I walked as quickly as I could to her room.

Why did she have to be so warm and soft in my arms? Why did she have to be so kind and sweet towards me? Why did I have to look at her and have those fucking thoughts?

I'd never thought about Maddie like that once. Never. But the way she took care of me and showed me what a real woman should be like, it had made my brain go into overdrive. My outlook was different, my life was different, and I was looking at her in a way I shouldn't have. Call it Florence Nightingale syndrome or whatever, but I had to believe it was all simply down to the events of the evening. I was simply grieving and she'd been the first woman there to offer me kindness.

I'd wake up tomorrow and she'd just be Maddie again.

Yeah, that's what would happen.

It had to.

"Maddie! What the fuck?" came a voice and I looked up to see Dean running towards us. He'd come home from the club early, and he looked concerned. "What happened to her?"

"Nothing," I said once he reached us. "She's just sleeping. I was taking her back to her room."

His shoulders relaxed as he let out a breath of relief. "Thank god for that. I was worried for a second there."

He held out his arms and took her from me, something which I was highly grateful for. The further I could get her away from me, the better.

"This evening must have tired her out," I said. I passed him her room key.

"Listen, I'll take her back and then we can talk," Dean said, cuddling her against him. "She told me about the phone-call. I'm so sorry, dude."

I nodded, knowing I'd have to discuss the breakup with the guys at some point. "Yeah, sure. Put her to bed and then I'll tell you everything."

He nodded and rushed off to her room, out of sight.

I let out a breath, leaning against the wall, my hands balled into fists.

My head was fucked up, it had to be. It was the only explanation to the thoughts circulating around it.

I hoped to god it was the grief of losing Leighla that was controlling these thoughts and nothing more, because if they persisted, I was going to be in some majorly deep shit.

* * *

 **Thanks to Lilygirl95, Calwitch, Tantoune, Hollarious969 and Crazychiksxxxx for their kind words about the last chapter. Don't forget to follow and favourite and review!**


	29. Doing It

**Hey, everyone!**

 **Hope everyone is well and ready for another chapter.**

 **After the madness, drama, twists and turns of the last chapter, I think we need some Dean and Maddie love this time round. This is where my story's M rating comes into play. It gets pretty mature in this chapter so you have all been warned!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Doing It' by Charli XCX and Rita Ora**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

It was a few days later that I decided to meet the twins for lunch at a local café. It had been so long since we'd caught up properly and had a chat, and I was so excited to spend some quality time with my girls.

The last time I'd seen them had been the night out to celebrate our victory at Summerslam, and that night had not ended how I'd wanted it to at all. Not only were the celebrations cut short and Seth had found himself single, but my falling asleep had meant Dean and I had not been able to spend the evening how we'd wished.

And we still hadn't.

We'd yet to have sex.

Be it my worries about the Shield Evolution match, our busy schedules, or the fact that Dean and Roman had been spending their spare time rallying round Seth at this tough time, but nothing had happened at all between us.

I had yet to sleep with Dean Ambrose and we'd been together for around a month now.

For some relationships this is perfectly fine. Some couples want to wait and I perfectly applaud them for that. But I needed Dean. Every time I saw him change in the locker room, every time he walked around the hotel showing off his bare chest, every time he fought in the ring and showed me how unbelievably manly he was, my stomach turned into knots, my teeth would bite my lip, and the undeniable need I had for him would grow and grow till I was ready to burst.

I didn't have patience anymore. I wanted him bad.

So I decided to bring it up with the twins as we sat eating our food.

"Can I ask you guys a question?" I said nervously.

"Sure," said Brie as she sipped on her ice water.

"How long do you usually give it before you first sleep with the guy you're seeing?"

"Usually a few weeks," answered Brie.

"If they're hot, I'll try it after the first date," smirked Nikki honestly. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…" I began, idly playing with the napkin that was in my hand.

"Hang on… You haven't slept with Dean yet, have you?" asked Nikki.

I sighed. "It's not like we haven't wanted to," I explained. "We have tried so many times but something always gets in our way. And now all this stuff with Seth means it's even harder now."

Brie smiled, placing her hand on mine to stop me ripping the napkin apart. "It's not the end of the world, Maddie. It'll happen when it happens."

"Well then I wish it would hurry up and happen," I mumbled.

"You need to find some time," Nikki began to explain. "Set aside an evening for just the two of you. Light some candles, play some music, wear the sexiest underwear you have. He won't be able to resist."

"Is that what you do with John?" Brie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Every fucking night. And he loves it," Nikki winked, causing Brie to scoff about hearing the details of her sister's sex life.

"Well I could text him and make sure he's free tonight," I suggested, pulling my phone from my pocket.

"Excellent idea," grinned Nikki. "Better late than never. We can pop into town and buy you some gorgeous underwear too. The kind he wants to rip off you."

I blushed at her words, writing a message out to send to Dean.

 _Dean,_

 _Come to the hotel room tonight, 8 o'clock. Come alone._

 _Maddie xxx_

It didn't take long for a reply to come through.

 **Sure, I'll be there, darlin'. Everything okay?**

 _Everything's perfect. Don't forget, 8 o'clock._

I closed my phone and slipped it back into my pocket.

"You organised it?" asked Brie.

I nodded. "Everything's set. Now I just need something to wear."

xXx

"What about these ones?" asked Brie, holding up a bra and panties set that was lacy but pastel pink.

"I personally think it's adorable, but Dean isn't so keen on pink," I replied, sifting through the rails of underwear in the store.

"She isn't fucking virginal, Brianna," said Nikki. "She needs something classy yet dirty. Something that makes her look sophisticated but Dean will want to rip it off with his teeth."

I blushed at her words. I should have expected this from Nikki. She had always been so open when it came to things like sex.

I looked continuously through the rails when something finally caught my eye. I pulled out the set, gazing upon it intently. It was black and lacy, the material enough to cover me up, but also left very little to the imagination. It was simple, elegant and sexy. It was perfect.

"Ooh! I like that one," said Brie as she spotted it in my hand.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," smirked Nikki, very pleased with my choice. "Dean will lose his mind."

"Plus his favourite colour is black," I added.

"Then it's perfect," Brie said.

And I couldn't have agreed more. So I held the set tightly in my hands and went over to pay, excited to show it Dean later tonight.

xXx

It was 7.45 and I was readying myself in our hotel room. The underwear was on, my hair was styled and I'd just applied my makeup. I gazed at myself in the mirror, admiring how the underwear fitted and brought out the best assets I had. My boobs were pushed up, my ass looked amazing and my curves were sexy. I smirked, rather pleased with my choice.

Dean was going to love it.

I was so excited to show him, for him to see me like this. Dean meant everything to me and this would be the most important night of our relationship so far. The furthest we'd ever gone before was kissing and we hadn't even seen one another naked before.

And this meant a part of me suddenly grew nervous. Any girl would be on the night where their partner was seeing them like this for the first time. I knew I had a good figure, but I was still anxious over what he'd think about my body.

Would it be too curvy? Not curvy enough? Would he think I was too thin? Or a bit on the bigger side? Would my boobs be a good enough size? Too big? Too tiny?

I stepped away from the mirror and took a breath.

 _Maddie, calm down. He's going to love your body…_

I knew my subconscious was right, but I still had those little insecurities. What girl doesn't? No one truly likes their body and I knew it wasn't perfect, be it the way my legs weren't long and elegant, or the few scars I had from having chicken pox as a child. I was far from perfect.

Yet Dean cared me for no matter what. It's not about how a person looks, it's about who they are inside. And I knew Dean liked me for me and not for how I was physically. So he would like my body too, knowing it was a part of who I was.

I looked back at myself again, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist me like this, my confidence slowly coming back again. I put my hands on my hips, turning my body so I could see every aspect of it.

Yeah… He would lose his mind in the best way possible.

I gasped as I suddenly heard a key in the lock of the door. He was a little early, but he was here. So I relaxed my shoulders and turned to face the door, standing with a hand on my hip, my ass jutted out a little, holding myself in the sexiest pose I could muster. I licked my lips, ready to see my man's face…

Only it wasn't Dean.

The door opened and in walked Seth, the man standing stock still, his eyes wide as he looked at me.

I screamed, my cheeks flushing red, leaping to grab my dressing robe to cover up.

"Oh my god, Seth! What the fuck? Get out, GET OUT!" I yelled, grabbing a cushion and throwing it at him. He didn't think twice and he said nothing. Instead he quickly bolted from the room with his tail in between his legs.

I held the dressing robe around me, my face as red as an apple, embarrassment flooding my entire body at what had just happened.

I couldn't believe Seth had seen me in such a vulnerable and provocative state! I couldn't even look him in the eye properly, my main mission being to cover up as quickly as possible. I knew I'd never live this down and I'd be too embarrassed to speak to him ever again.

I groaned, dropping my head into my hands, wishing the ground would just swallow me up and never spit me out. I felt mortified and I knew Seth would be feeling the same. I hoped things wouldn't be awkward after this, but it was one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life.

"Hey, you okay?" came Dean's voice.

My head shot up to see he'd finally arrived, and I knew I had to put what had just happened behind me. Too many times had something cropped up so that Dean and I had to change our plans. I was not about to let that happen again. We were having sex tonight no matter what.

I'd make fucking sure of it!

So I took a deep breath and stood up, forgetting what had just taken place. "Everything's fine. I just wanted to show you something," I said.

"Sure," he said, shutting the door behind him. "You know you can show me anything."

I bit my lip, and in the sexiest way possible I let the robe drop from my body and fall to the floor…

Dean froze.

He said nothing.

He stood stock still.

He simply looked at me, his eyes raking over my barely covered body. I watched him nervously for a few moments, wishing with all my heart I could read his mind.

And then I saw his eyes darken, his tongue dart out of to lick his lips, his breathing get heavier.

"Holy shit…" I heard him mumble under his breath, his voice deep and gravely.

Nikki had been right – he was losing his mind.

"So what do you think?" I asked, fluttering my eyelashes a little.

"I think you need to get on that bed right fucking now," he demanded.

My heart pounded with nerves and need, and I did just as he said, lying back on the bed. Dean went to lock the door before he slowly began to approach me.

His eyes were dark, deep and filled to the brim with lust. I'd never seen him look this way before and I knew the underwear had worked wonders. He slowly reached the foot of the bed, looking down at my waiting body. I fidgeted under his deep gaze, his eyes looking at every aspect of what I had to offer. He finally got onto the bed and began to crawl towards me, crawling over my waiting body, running his nose over my skin, leaving a trail of goose-bumps.

"And when did you decide to buy this little number?" he asked, running his nose along the waistband of the panties.

I bit my lip so hard I was afraid I would draw blood. "T-Today," I answered, my voice breathy. "I brought it special for tonight."

"And what's so special about tonight, Madeleine, that you had me come over here to see you wearing this?"

"Tonight's the n-night I want y-you to…" I couldn't finish my sentence because his nose had run up my chest and over to my neck. He had begun to nip at the skin there, his hands slowly moving up to cup one of my lace covered breasts.

"What me to what, sweetheart?" he mumbled. "I'm not going to do anything until you tell me exactly what you want me to do."

"F-Fuck me…" I whispered, my body warming to his touch. "I w-want you t-to fuck me."

"Mmmm," he said, and I could feel him smile against my neck. "I thought you'd never ask." He pulled back to look me in the eye. "But first I want to rip these flimsy pieces of material from your body and show it a little bit of attention."

My breath caught in my throat as I nodded, agreeing to what he wanted. "Yes… please…"

He sat back on his knees, taking his t-shirt off, bearing to me his gorgeously chiselled stomach and sexy chest. He was literally the most beautiful man I'd ever seen and I couldn't be believe he was about to make me his.

He leaned down, capturing my lips with his, not hanging around to slip his tongue into my mouth. I groaned as our tongues tangled, smirking against his lips as he sat me up and unclipped my bra. It fell from me and landed on the bed, Dean pulling away to look at my totally topless body.

"They're perfect," he smiled, not hesitating to lean forward and capture one of my nipples in his mouth. I gasped at his suddenness, my hands clutching the bed-sheet beneath me as his hand held the other breast, massaging it softly.

I moaned gently, my hands threading into his hair, holding his head to me, my own head rolling back at his touch. He felt so fucking good, his tongue working wonders. My body was alight, every hair standing on end as he continued his actions. I was like putty in his hands and he'd barely touched me.

His tongue swirled around my nipple one more time before his mouth slowly began to kiss down along my ribs and my stomach, my heart threatening to pound out of my chest as he neared the place where I wanted him to most. He didn't waver once. As soon as his mouth reached my panties, he pulled back and ripped them from my body until I was completely naked in front of him.

His look of lust transformed then, and I knew I could see something else behind his eyes. Something softer, sweeter, more… loving…

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his tone caring. "The most perfect woman I've ever seen." And I knew in that moment that this was the man for me, the man who would love me unconditionally, no matter what. He was my world, my life…

The lust soon returned, Dean's eyes darkening once again as I gently opened my legs.

"See something you like?" I teased, showing him my most intimate places.

"Oh someone's being a naughty girl," he smirked. "Well I'm an even naughtier man, sweetheart." And with that he launched himself forward, attaching his mouth to me, lapping eagerly at my clit.

"Dean!" I loudly moaned, throwing my head back in pleasure, surprised to feel him there.

"Fuck, baby. Make that sound again," he mumbled against me, quickening his actions.

My eyes fluttered closed, my mouth gasping with every movement he made. I began to pant, my release already building.

"Dean… I'm g-gonna… I'm gonna…"

"Mmmm," he moaned against me, his tongue lapping at my wetness with increased speed, his humming sending vibrations all over.

And then it happened. I saw stars, my throat crying out as I came hard into his mouth, his tongue drinking up everything I gave him.

I came down from my high having experienced the greatest orgasm of my life. I fought to regulate my breathing, my chest heaving as I made sure this wasn't a dream. I felt Dean move and slowly opened my eyes to see he had removed his jeans and underwear.

He was completely naked.

I wanted to fucking cry with joy, he was so beautiful. He was like a Greek god, completely toned and perfect in every way. I'd never seen a man's body look so good in my life. I wanted to run my tongue over every inch of him and taste him, but Dean had other ideas. He crawled back over my body, positioning himself at my entrance.

"You sure you want this, baby?" he asked. "Because after eating your pussy, once I take you I'm never going to be able to stop."

To answer him I wrapped my arms around his neck, crashing his mouth to mine. I felt him smirk against my lips, tasting myself on his tongue. And in one smooth movement he thrust into me, a guttural moan leaving both our mouths.

"Fuck!" I cried out in pleasure.

"Maddie," he groaned. "So fucking tight."

He slid in slowly, letting me adjust to him and feel him, entering until he was all the way in.

He looked own at me, rubbing his nose over mine, looking into my eyes and checking I was okay. I smiled back up at him, letting him know I was good. So he began to pull out and thrust back in, settling into a steady rhythm.

It felt like heaven, having this gorgeous man inside me, making me feel more and more alive with each thrust he gave. He felt amazing, his body doing sensational things to mine, fucking me like I'd never been fucked before. This was the best I'd ever had and I never wanted another man apart from Dean for as long as I lived.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me lovingly as he moved, my body becoming more and more on fire.

"So good…" I moaned.

"You feel so fucking good, baby," he moaned, quickening his thrusts.

I moved my hips to meet his, our bodies moving in perfect sync, making the other one moan repeatedly in bliss and satisfaction.

It wasn't long before I was beginning to see stars and I knew that I was close.

"Faster, please," I cried, needing my release.

So he did just that, thrusting quicker and harder. "That's it… cum for me, sweetheart. Cry my fucking name," he groaned.

And I did. I cried out in ecstasy, finally cumming around him. "Dean!" I screamed, milking his cock, my man finding his release a few seconds later, the two of us collapsing onto the bed.

We were a mess of heavy breathing, sweaty bodies and tangled limbs. But we didn't care. Dean Ambrose had just fucked me and I was on cloud nine right now, feeling totally euphoric about what we'd just done.

"Wow…" he said, moving until I was cradled against him, his arms holding me lovingly and possessively, my head resting on his chest.

"That was… amazing," I said, listening to his fast paced heartbeat.

I snuggled against him as he stroked my hair, his lips planting light kisses atop of my head.

"Was that the outcome you were looking for when you sent me that text earlier?" he asked in amusement.

I giggled, leaning on my elbow to look up at him. "Oh no… This was far better than what I was expecting."

He smiled, cupping my cheek with his hand, running his thumb along my flushed skin. "To me it was the best fucking moment of my life. better than the moment I first met you, better than the time I first kissed you, better than the day I asked you to be mine."

"Dean…" I said, leaning into his touch.

"Because what just happened was the closest and most intimate moment I've ever shared with another person before. The actions, the words, the feelings… It proved to me that being with you was the best decision I've ever made in my life and I'm never gonna let you go."

He pressed his forehead to mine, his words shooting straight to my heart and staying there.

They meant so much to me, not just because he'd said them but because I felt the exact same way.

What we'd just shared went beyond anything I could have imagined, and I knew now my like had completely transformed into something more.

I loved Dean Ambrose.

And I loved him with all my heart.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to Hollarious969, Crazychiksxxxx and Tantoune for reviewing the last chapter. We finally reached 150 reviews! Thanks, guys. Reviews fuel my writing and I love hearing what my lovely readers think. So keep them coming!**

 **Also make sure to keep your eyes open as I'll be starting a new story in the coming weeks. It'll be a Shield/OC story, centering on Seth Rollins this time. I have lots planned for it, so keep your eyes peeled for that. It'll be up soon.**


	30. A New Enemy

**Hello!**

 **Apologies for this chapter taking so long to be posted. I've been having some laptop issues this week and so have not been able to get this out sooner. But everything seems to be fixed now, so fingers crossed it stays fixed! I hate technology sometimes.**

 **This chapter is named after 'A New Enemy' by Satyricon**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

It was safe to say Dean and I had the world's biggest grins on our faces the next day, and who could blame us?

We had done the ultimate couple bonding and completely cemented our relationship together. I wouldn't call it fucking and I would even call it having sex. What we had done was make love, and show each other how we truly felt. And even though I hadn't actually uttered the words to him, my body had shown him how much I had fallen for him, and how these feelings between us were now love.

I loved him.

I loved him to the ends of the earth and back. For all time. Till the end of days.

Dean Ambrose was the man who owned my heart and nothing was ever going to change that for me.

So as we walked down to breakfast the next day, hand in hand, we were closer and happier than ever. The hotel restaurant always offered delicious morning food so we'd agreed to meet Roman and Seth down there.

And then it hit me.

Seth.

Dean hadn't been the only one who had seen my little seductive outfit last night and I knew I needed to clear the air with Seth. As embarrassing as it was, he was my friend and someone who I would be working with a lot and for a very long time. I didn't want any awkwardness between us after what he'd seen, so I planned to take him to one side and tell him things were good between us and not to show any embarrassment.

They were at a table when we got there, Seth already tucking in to his eggs and bacon. We made our way over to them, greeting them good morning, Seth's cheeks flushing red as he refused to look up from his plate. And I couldn't blame him; this was awkward for me too. So Roman stood up and headed over to the buffet with Dean, me telling my boyfriend I'd get some food shortly.

I needed to talk to Seth first.

I sat down beside him as the others left, turning to face him.

"So how are you this morning?" I asked, acting casual.

He put his knife and fork down. "Listen, I didn't mean to see you like that last night," he said, jumping straight in at the deep end. I was taken aback by his suddenness but he obviously wanted this sorted as much as I did. "I'd let Dean borrow my cellphone charger and I needed it back. I didn't think you'd be in there and I definitely didn't think you'd be dressed like… that. I know shit is a bit weird between us, but I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean it."

His voice was speaking at a hundred miles an hour so I placed my hand on his, his mouth stopping immediately. He looked up at me with big brown eyes.

"Hey, it's okay," I smiled. "I actually wanted to clear the air with you this morning and tell you it wasn't a big deal."

"It's not?" he asked, his eyebrow raised.

"No," I said. "You're a grown man, I'm sure you've seen worse. And besides we're friends and workmates. I don't want things to be weird between us. I'm willing to forget it if you are."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Let's pretend it never happened."

"Cool," I grinned. "Besides, it's not like it meant anything. It's only me."

A slight tinge of red graced his cheeks. "Uh, yeah. Only you."

But I didn't have time to consider his timid tone. Dean had returned with his breakfast and it smelt delicious. My stomach decided to rumble and I knew I wanted some of that amazing food. So I stood up and rushed eagerly to the buffet.

xXx

We prepped ourselves for Raw the following Monday, changing into our ring gear and gearing ourselves up for the match we had been given tonight.

After Summerslam, The Authority had promised to leave me be, so our match was a simple one and they had nothing to do with it. It was Seth vs. Stardust, a match which Seth knew he had in the bag.

"I can take that freak on easily," he said as he taped up his hands and slipped on his gloves.

"Don't get cocky," Dean teased. "He's only gotta get a bit of that face paint in your hair and you'll run out crying."

Roman sniggered, knowing how protective Seth was of his blonde and brown hair. Dean had told me how they put hair dye in his shampoo as a prank during their NXT days, turning the blonde a lovely shade of pink. The result had been an emergency trip to the hair salon and Seth not talking to either of them for a week.

Once we were all ready, we made our way through the corridors of the arena until we arrived at the top floor, standing by the doors to the staircase, awaiting our cue to enter.

I stood nervously, knowing this was my first time in the ring since our Summerslam match. Yes we'd won, and yes The Authority had promised to let me be. But could things honestly be as easy as that?

This was WWE. Things were never that simple.

I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach and I couldn't shake it off no matter what I did.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Dean. He grabbed my hand, holding it in his. I hadn't even realised it had been shaking until he squeezed it tight, stopping my body's involuntary movements.

"I feel off," I said.

"As in sick?" he questioned.

"No," I answered. "As in something isn't right. Things are going too well. Too easy. The Authority were defeated and humiliated by you guys. Are things really gonna go that smoothly tonight?"

"Maddie, what can they do?" he asked. "They made a deal and they are sticking to it. Bad things aren't always around the corner, you know. Maybe things are good for the good guys sometimes. And even if anything is tried against you tonight, you've got three hounds who will protect you till the very end. You know we won't go down without a fight."

I sighed. "I guess…"

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead, kissing it and letting his lips linger a little before he pulled away. "Enjoy the moment. We won and we are going out there to fight and celebrate with our fans."

I smiled lovingly up at him and he gave me a wink as our music started to play. So we took this as our cue to go, all of us heading through the door to the staircase.

We made our way down the ring, the cheers and support of the crowd boosting my confidence a little more and sending positive thoughts my way.

Dean was right. The Authority could do nothing now. A deal was a deal, and as annoying as The Authority were, they always stuck to their word. Plus I had The Shield if anything was tried tonight. I was safe and I knew this. But as fantastic as the cheers were and as boosting as the fans seemed to be, those negative thoughts were still securely in the back of my mind.

Our music died and Seth hopped up into the ring to meet Stardust who was already there. Lilian Garcia announced the match, the bell rang, and the fight finally got under way.

The two immediately locked up, Seth easily getting the upper hand over the smaller man, pushing him against the ropes and throwing a clothesline at him. Stardust fell to the floor, the audience cheering as their favourite began to start the match well. Dean and Roman began to pace around the ring, watching the match from all angles and I opted to stay near the commentator's desk.

Stardust was back on his feet, immediately intimidated at the sight of the other two Shield members making their presence known. But he kept his eyes on Seth, the two locking up again.

Stardust had the upper hand this time, putting Rollins in a headlock, Seth unable to get out. So he countered, wrapping his arms around Stardust's body, lifting him up and hitting him with a side slam. With Stardust lying on the mat and struggling to get back onto his feet, Seth picked him up and threw him into the corner, running at him with a diving high knee straight to the face.

I cheered, our team clearly winning out here. Seth had said he had no problem with this match and this was obviously true, all three men smiling. They were all enjoying this match.

Seth threw his opponent into the opposite corner, ready to hit him again when all of a sudden a noise screamed and the arena went pitch black.

I froze to the spot, my heart pounding.

 _What the fuck is going on?_

This was not normal and I knew something was majorly wrong.

I fought to keep my breathing regular, the crowd as confused as I was. I wanted to rush to Dean for safety, but I couldn't even if I tried. The arena was completely dark and I could hardly see my hand in front of my face. There was no way I'd find Dean or any other Shield member for that matter.

Yet as the lights finally flashed on and I could see again, I gasped, realising what had happened.

Stardust was gone, each Shield member held up in a submission hold, the crowd booing as Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Braun Strowman came into my sight.

Strowman held Roman in an arm triangle choke till the Samoan was practically unconscious. Dean had managed to free himself from Harper, only for the Wyatt member to hit him with a clothesline, knocking him flat onto the floor.

My hand shot to my mouth in shock, my body shaking with nerves and fear as I took all of this in. What were the Wyatts even doing here? And what the fuck did they want?

I gasped as I saw Bray in the ring, holding Seth in that familiar hold, my friend's body hanging over the vile man's knee. With a swift kiss to the head, Bray hit him with Sister Abigail, Seth dropping to the mat, his body still.

I slowly backed away, my legs like jelly as my back hit the barricade. I flinched as three sets of eyes all glared at me, each one as menacing as the other.

My mouth was dry, the lump in my throat threatening to stop me from breathing as they slowly approached me. My shaking fingers clutched the barrier in order to stop me dropping to the floor. The Authority seemed sugary sweet compared to how these three men were looking at me now.

I managed to cast my eyes around to The Shield, hoping one of them would come forward to protect me, but all three were still on the floor, the strength completely knocked from them. I took a deep breath and looked back at Bray, knowing I was totally on my own for this.

Surely they would hurt a small innocent woman. They were three grown strong men. They'd crush me like a cockroach. I had absolutely no defence, and any I did have was feebly weak. I knew a superkick to the face wouldn't even touch these guys. Would they honestly hurt someone like me?

Of course they would. They were The Wyatt Family. They were capable of anything.

Strowman and Harper suddenly stopped walking, Bray being the only one to approach me. He looked me up and down, smirking wickedly at my obvious fear. He brushed his hair from his face, his eyes empty and sinister. He looked at my face finally.

"I sense fear in you, Miss Ziggler," he said. "A fear that constantly eats you up. You are right to have that fear. Absorb it, use it, never lose it. Because it is all you will have. Bad things are coming for you, terrible things. It'll come from those far from you, but mainly those close to you." I frowned at his words, taking each and every one of them in. "And when these things happen, all you will have is that fear. You are never safe, Miss Ziggler. So when that danger approaches, remember to follow the buzzards."

He raised his arms and the arena suddenly went black again.

My body finally relaxed when the lights came back on, the Wyatt's nowhere in sight.

I watched as medical personnel rushed to The Shield, making sure they were all alright.

It was clear to see we had a new enemy now, a powerful, strong, united enemy. One that would not be so easy to defeat.

But it was not that thought that frightened me. It was the warning I had been issued instead, Bray's words running through my head.

You are right to have that fear…

All you will have is that fear…

Bad things are coming from those far from you…

Bad things are coming mainly from those close to you…

It was this warning that worried me most of all, the idea of danger from those close to me. But those I was close to would never harm me. Dean, Roman, Seth, Dolph, the twins. They loved me and I loved them, what would they possibly do?

But Bray Wyatt was the master of words and warnings. His riddles always had a hidden truth, a significant point, a perfect reason.

He would not have said these words lightly. So as I watched The Shield be carefully taken backstage, I timidly followed, hoping this prophecy would not come true.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to CiCix3, Hollarious969, Crazychiksxxxx, Tantoune and Calwitch for their lovely reviews.**


	31. The Girl Is Mine

**Hello!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath, lovely readers. I hoe you're all still enjoying it.**

 **This chapter is definitely rated M for mature again. Dean is about to get a touch of the green eyes monster. And what's better than normal Dean? Well, possessive and jealous Dean, of course!**

 **Enjoy**

 **This chapter is named after 'The Girl Is Mine' by Michael Jackson.**

* * *

Dean Ambrose's Point Of View

"Maddie!" I cried out as I gave one final thrust. She cried out her orgasm as I cried out mine, my weak and tired body dropping onto the bed beside her.

God, there was no better feeling than being inside Madeline Ziggler. She was perfection, a goddess, beauty personified. And if I were to drop down dead right now I'd die a happy man.

She curled up against me, her hot and sweaty body panting for breath. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, breathing in her floral and sweet scent.

"That move was new," she giggled as she buried her face in my neck. "Have you been holding out on me this whole time?"

"Well I can't give you the full Dean Ambrose treatment in one go," I smirked, running my fingers listlessly through her blonde hair. "I have to ease a beautiful and innocent woman like you in."

She looked up at me. "I'm hardly innocent."

"You're definitely not innocent after what I just did to you," I winked, causing that oh-so-beautiful blush to rise in her cheeks. I leaned forward, kissing her softly, easing her embarrassment.

We were due at the arena this afternoon and had to leave the hotel any minute now. So I got in any kisses that I was able to, knowing I wouldn't be able to manage any more till later. So I reluctantly pulled away.

"I guess you can steal more of my innocence tonight," she winked back, sitting forward, getting out the bed, and reaching for the clothes I'd thrown around the room after stripping them from her delectable body, the same body I was very much enjoying watching as she bent over to pick up said clothes. I could never tire of Maddie and her body. Silky smooth skin, every part of her perfectly in proportion. She was beautiful inside and out. "But for now we have to dress. Roman and Seth are meeting us in the car in five minutes."

"Fine," I sighed, reluctantly getting out of bed and retrieving my clothes. But not before I got a good view of her fine ass first.

xXx

Once we were at the arena and had changed into our ring gear, I took my usual spot on the crates around the back where the lorries and trucks were parked. Maddie had gone to talk to the twins, Roman was on the phone to Galina and Seth had gone for some food in catering. So I took the spare time to disappear, stick my headphones in and relax before our match tonight.

I did just that, pressing play on my IPod, resting my head back against the wall and closing my eyes, letting my entire being focus on the music.

I loved doing this. It was a sort of meditation before each match, a time for me to concentrate my focus and get my head in the game. I could forget everything and everyone around me and focus my body and mind on defeating my opponent. It's something I'd always done, even back in my Indy days before I hit the big time. It had worked then and it worked now. Why fix or change something that isn't broken?

I flicked through my playlist, listening to several songs, my body freezing when I opened my eyes at one point to see none other than Bray Wyatt standing across from me, leaning on a crate, his arms folded, his smile wide.

 _What the fuck does he want?_

I immediately went on the defensive, especially after what had happened last week on Raw. It had seemed defeating The Authority had not meant smooth sailing for the boys, Maddie and myself. A new enemy had presented itself to us, a strong and resilient enemy. One that I knew would not back down.

I looked around, noticing that he stood alone, Harper and Strowman nowhere in sight. This didn't matter; Bray Wyatt was strong enough and he'd be a tough fight even when alone. I ripped my headphones out and jumped down from the crates, ready to fight if I needed to.

"What do you want, Wyatt?" I asked, never breaking eye contact. I didn't want to give him any opening to attack.

"Why so edgy, Dean?" he asked softly. "You look so wound up, so tense."

"And I have reason to be," I said, my hands bunched into fists at my side.

"You have something on your mind, don't you, Dean?" he asked. "A fear, a worry."

"Stop with the mind games," I said, taking a step forward. "Just tell me what the fuck you want."

He then began to laugh to himself. "I'm not where your quarrel or anger should be," he said. "I am the least of your fears. I relayed this to Miss Ziggler last week and now I shall say it to you. I don't bring bad things your way. I merely warn you and you take me as the enemy rather than choose to understand my warnings."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed.

"As I said to Madeleine, bad things come from afar, but the place to look is closer to home. All is not as it seems, Dean. Paradise will soon be broken."

I gritted my teeth, sick of his stupid riddles. "Stop talking shit, Bray."

He began to take slow steps towards me, walking around me at a steady pace. "There you are again. Shooting the messenger rather than listening to his words. I am not the source of your anger, Dean. Look closer than myself."

My eyes followed him as he walked. "And why should I trust any warning you give me?"

"Because I see what's true. I see how people can really be. _She_ tells me and I tell you."

I rolled my eyes at the sound of She. I knew he was referring to this Sister Abigail character he constantly spoke about. So I sighed. "Fine. What warnings does she have for me?"

"She worries about Miss Ziggler," he said and these words certainly held my attention.

"What about her?" I asked, taking anything he said about Maddie seriously. I had to wonder why the fuck he had to bring her into this, though. He'd scared the shit out of her last week, telling her things that had been on her mind all week. Were these the words he'd said to her and was now telling me?

"Watch out for her," he said, stopping right in front of me, his face shaded by the hat on his head. "Observe her, protect her. A danger lies closer to her than you realise."

"What danger? Who?" I asked, panic obvious on both my face and voice. Whether this was real or a ploy, I worried when she was involved.

He began to chuckle again. "She seems awfully close to one of your brother's, don't you think?" he said.

"My… brother?" I asked in confusion, knowing he was talking utter bullshit now. He just wanted to get into my head and psych me out. And he was using Maddie to do this. The bastard was sicker than I first thought. "Fuck off, Bray. You're talking shit. Nothing like that would ever happen with my brother's."

He smirked as he backed away from me, heading towards the exit. "Just watch, Dean. Observe and watch."

And then he was gone before I could blink and question him more. I stood still for a few moments, his words running circles around my head.

He had to be bullshitting me, surely. He was an enemy, a foe. Nothing he said could be trusted. He'd say anything to get into my head and weaken me, and using Maddie was definitely the way to get to me. I didn't know what that sick bastard was playing at, but I refused to believe it.

I would believe in my friends over him any day.

Yet as I walked to meet everyone and saw Maddie and Seth laughing together, his hands on her shoulders, I couldn't help myself replaying the mad man's warnings in my mind again and again.

 _You're looking too much into this, Dean. It's Seth! He'd never do a thing to hurt you or Maddie…_

But I couldn't help myself from watching. And I did watch… for the entire night… and for days afterwards.

Whether it was a simple brush of the shoulder or whether he would completely hug and hold her, I watched him.

I couldn't help the rush of jealousy or the twinge of anger that built up within me every time I saw them together, and as the days passed by, I started believing in Bray's words more and more.

I knew I shouldn't have. I mean, this was Seth, my best friend and my lifelong brother. What he was doing was purely innocent. He did nothing untoward and nothing that he'd never done before. But the seed of doubt had been planted in my head and I was seeing everything differently now.

Every touch, every word he spoke to her, every smile he gave her, what if it meant more? What if he was attempting to come between us? What if Wyatt's words actually held some truth?

The final straw came one evening as we sat in the hotel bar. It was the four of us, Maddie, Seth, Roman and myself, and we were all enjoying a drink after a week of TV and house shows. We deserved it after working our asses off all week. Conversation flowed and we were all smiles and laughter. That was until Maddie got herself a paper cut on the drinks menu.

"Ouch!" she gasped, clutching her sore finger to her chest.

"You okay, baby?" I asked, looking at her with concern over the table.

"I'll be good," she smiled at me. But not before Seth could wrap an arm around her shoulder. I watched with seething eyes as he pulled her to him, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"You always this clumsy?" he teased.

She looked up at him, batting him away with a smirk. "You're way clumsier."

He laughed, pulling her to him. "No, you definitely win that crown, kid." And then he kissed her forehead.

His lips connected with her skin, kissing it and touching it in the most intimate way. I'd seen Seth kiss her forehead and hair many times before. But this time got me pissed.

I saw red.

I stood from the table, my chair flying backwards and tumbling over. Three pairs of concerned eyes looked up at me.

"Dean, you okay?" asked Maddie, her eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

My jaw was tense, my breathing loud as I tried to suppress any anger I had for my brother.

This was stupid, wrong, pointless. But in that moment it was necessary and I was being perfectly reasonable and rational.

"I'm going to the room," I said, needing to get out of the situation over the fear of punching Seth squarely in the face. "I'm done for tonight."

Without hesitation Maddie grabbed her bag and stood beside me. "I'll come with you."

I didn't say goodnight to the others, I simply marched away, Maddie chasing after me.

She was mine, Goddamn it! Not his! He couldn't kiss her, no matter where that somewhere was. She was my girl, my love, my fucking partner. He had no right to even touch her.

She was fucking mine and I wanted the world to know that.

So as we walked I grabbed her hand in mine, marching us up to the room. She didn't question me, she simply followed along, stepping inside our room once I'd unlocked the door.

No sooner had I closed it behind me that I pushed her against the wooden door, crashing my lips to hers. I felt her gasp against my mouth in surprise but she quickly responded, kissing me back with as much passion and fervor as I was giving her. I wasn't soft and I wasn't gentle. I was quick and rough, urgently wanting to make the point of whose she was.

Yes, Seth could see her in the day, but at night she belonged to me. I was the one to make her feel good, I was the one who made her cry out in pleasure, I was the one to me with her so intimately and closely.

Me.

And it was fucking staying that way.

I kissed her urgently, my hands running up and down her body, feeling every each of her soft warm skin below the material of her top. I heard her moan and I smirked against her lips, pleased she was enjoying herself and that I could make those delicious sounds come from her gorgeous lips.

I lifted her up and allowed her to wrap her legs around my waist. I slipped my tongue past her lips, allowing it to tangle with hers as my hands went to her ass, squeezing it gently. She moaned again so I took my lips away from hers, kissing and suckling along her neck.

"D-Dean," she tried, her voice breathy. "What's b-brought this on…?"

"Mmmm," I said, nipping at her skin, causing her to gasp. "I just want to show my woman a good time. Is that a bad thing?"

I was never going to tell her my real thoughts. She'd no doubt shout at me angrily and tell me to grow the fuck up and sort my head out.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Never."

Pulling away from the wall and holding her entire weight, I carried us to the bed, laying her down and wasting no time in stripping her of every slither of clothing she wore.

I smiled down at the wanton and gorgeous naked woman before me, knowing she was completely mine. I licked my lips, wanting to be inside her, needing to feel her. She looked up at me, her eyes filled with lust and need.

This woman was a goddess and I aimed to please her.

So I took my clothes off until I was as naked as she was, grabbing a condom from the bedside table draw. I tore open the packet and slipped it on, crawling over her and positioning myself at her entrance. But I didn't thrust forward. Instead I looked down at her, running my nose over hers.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

"You… inside me… please," she begged.

I smirked darkly down at her. "Me? I'm what you want?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Please, Dean."

"And do you know why you want me?" I asked, rubbing my erect member against her entrance, teasing her.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Because you're _mine_ ," I growled, pushing inside her, causing her to throw her head back and groan in absolute pleasure.

I didn't waste any time, thrusting in and out of her quickly and hard, letting her know that only one man held her heart, making her scream to let the entire fucking world know I was that man.

Me.

No one else.

"Mine," I moaned with every thrust, my arms holding her tightly against me. "Mine, mine, mine."

She cried, she screamed, she moaned. She loved every fucking second of it and so did I. Everything else before this had been loving and tender. This was raw, rough, animalistic. We were two lust filled people, fucking until we had no strength left.

I made her mine completely, letting her scream and cry my name through several orgasms. She came and she came, my own release building. I could feel another one of hers building and I knew I wanted us to reach our finish together.

So I continued to thrust until we were both on the edge.

"Cry my name out, baby," I said. "Tell the world who you belong to."

"Dean!" my goddess cried as she came, my own release following.

I groaned, loving the feeling of being inside her until I was spent. I collapsed on the bed, pulling her against me, kissing the forehead just where his lips had been before, letting my lips linger and leave my invisible mark.

Whether Bray Wyatt's warning had been true or not, I wasn't taking any risks.

Madeleine Ziggler was mine and the world needed to learn that pretty fucking fast.

* * *

 **Thank you to Tantoune, Crazychiksxxxx, DeeMarie426 and calwitch for their kind words. Please keep reviewing, everyone. I love your feedback. It spurs me on so much and I'm always grateful for it.**

 **Keep your eyes peeled for my new Shield story that should be up pretty soon. It's a Seth focused story and it's gonna be a good one.**


	32. Team Drama

**Hey, lovely readers!**

 **I have a feeling this chapter is going to split you all – some will love it and some will hate it. But for this story to go in the direction I have planned for it, this chapter is necessary. I hope you all enjoy it. Don't hate me too much!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Team Drama' by The Automatic**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

I had to admit, I was more than a little surprised to see Seth come out of The Authority's office before Raw on the following Monday.

I watched eagerly as he left the room, Triple H joining him at the door for one last conversation. I couldn't exactly make out what they were saying, I was too far away for that. But the idea that they were talking in the first place put me very ill at ease, especially as Bray Wyatt's words were ringing in my ears…

 _Bad things are coming for you, terrible things. It'll come from those far from you, but mainly those close to you..._

And even though I knew Bray Wyatt was tricking us and was no doubt saying those things to get in our heads so we would distrust each other, it was so hard to forget them now they'd be said. I did feel paranoid and I did worry, even though I knew deep down there was nothing to worry about.

But I saw things differently now, I saw certain events in a new light, and I hated the fact that Bray's trickery was working.

I waited for their conversation to end before I made my presence known. Triple H shut the door and Seth began to head down the corridor, so I stepped out from my hiding spot, wanting to know what the fuck Seth was doing talking to the enemy like that.

"Shit! You scared the hell out of me, Maddie," Seth cried once I'd come into sight, my friend clutching his chest.

"What were you doing in The Authority's office?" I asked, arms folded, not waiting around. I wanted answers.

"Oh, uh, nothing," he smiled. "I was just discussing whether I was allowed any time off for a week or so."

I blinked. "Oh? Time off?" I wasn't expecting this answer.

"Yeah. After all the shit with Leighla, I wanted to go back home for a while. You know, relax, see my parents, get my head straight. He said he'd look into it and see what they could manage."

My body visibly relaxed and I breathed a sigh of relief. Of course he was asking for something as innocent as that. Triple H was the boss after all so it made sense that he went to him. And after all the shit Seth had been through for that past few weeks, he definitely deserved some sort of vacation.

I felt like a fool really, embarrassed that I'd mistrusted my friend like that and guilty that I'd thought so ill of him. He was never going to do anything so evil or untoward, and I hated that Bray Wyatt's little riddles were affecting me so damn much.

"Well that makes sense," I said, giving him an apologetic smile. "I hope you get it."

"Me too," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "You wouldn't believe how much I fucking need it."

"How have you been regarding the whole Leighla situation?" I asked as we began walking back to our locker room. It had been a few weeks since she'd called an end to their relationship, but I'd left most of the support to Dean and Roman knowing Seth would probably want his brother's to rally around him more than anyone else.

"I've been… okay," he said. "I could do with the free time to just rest, relax, and see where I wanna go from here. Plus it'd be good to see my mom and dad again. It's been a while."

"Well I'm sure they can arrange something," I smiled as we reached our locker room and entered. "If anyone deserves it, then it's you."

"I couldn't agree more," he smiled as we began to prepare for tonight's match.

xXx

 _Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield_

The Shield's music hit and sounded around the arena, the four of us emerging at the top of the staircase. The crowd roared their applause and we slowly made our way down to the ring.

Tonight was a three on three tag match – The Shield vs New Day. Even though the New Day were the current Tag Team Champions, the guys had no problem with putting up a good fight. They knew they could take them easily in a match and were quite excited to get it started.

We jumped over the barrier, Dean helping me over, being the caring boyfriend he always was. He gave me a quick wink as he helped me, the four of us making our way up into the ring, the New Day already present and accounted for.

I knew the champions didn't stand a chance. My hounds were far too strong, talented and united for them to even think about winning. Seth the highflyer, Dean the brawler and Roman the powerhouse. The Shield had it all and they were the most formidable team I knew.

Our music soon died and I made my way out of the ring and onto the floor. Each team went to their respective corners, Dean and Kofi starting off. The bell rang and the match began.

They immediately locked up, Dean being the stronger of the two and immediately throwing Kofi to the mat, jumping on top of him and throwing a flurry of punches his way, asserting his dominance.

The crowd cheered and I couldn't help but smile myself. I loved watching Dean in the ring, fighting, brawling, showing the world what a talented wrestler he was. The way he moved, the move set he had, the easy flow of his actions… It was so easy to see why the crowd and his fans loved him.

Kofi manage to throw him off and shoot a punch Dean's way. The lunatic stumbled back against the ropes, but manage to hang on and launch himself back into the ring, hitting Kofi with a clothesline, the smaller man falling back onto the mat. Dean quickly tagged in Roman, the crowd cheering when the bigger man stepped into the ring…

And then The Authority's music began.

I gasped, my head whipping round to see Steph, Triple H, Orton and Kane at the top of the ramp, all four staring down at us. Kofi rolled from the ring, the New Day making themselves scarce. Dean quickly grabbed me, pulling me into the ring, the three hounds standing in front of me.

My heart rate quickened, my breaths coming out in short and sharp gasps, my eyes wide, unable to blink.

No!

They had no fucking right being here. They made a promise, a promise to leave me alone! They had no right to interrupt our match and the last thing they should be doing was anything threatening towards me. Did promises mean nothing to these people?

They slowly made their way down the ramp, The Shield poised and ready to attack should they need to. Quickly noting a sledgehammer in Triple H's hand, Dean ran to grab a couple of steel chairs, handing one to Seth and keeping one for himself.

The presence of weapons worried me. It was one thing to throw fists and words around, but it was another to use a powerful and dangerous weapon. And a sledgehammer was just that. It was strong, sturdy and harmful. I didn't want to even consider the damage Hunter could do with such a thing. I was grateful Dean had chosen to keep the chairs close by.

Their music soon died, both teams staring at each other in a face off, us in the ring and them on the floor. The crowd eagerly awaited what was next.

"What do you want?" asked Roman, just loud enough for the microphones around the arena to pick it up. Steph had her own microphone and she lifted it to her lips.

"We came to show our dissatisfaction, our anger. Did you four honestly think you would get away with what you did at Summerslam?" she said. "That we'd let you just carry on with no repercussions?"

"We won fair and square," Dean argued. "Deal with it."

"I think not, Dean," Steph said. "You see we always win, no matter what."

She then looked at me, Triple H taking a step forward. The three hounds suddenly circled protectively around me.

"No," said Seth. "You made a deal. You can't hurt or harm her."

"And we haven't," Steph smiled. "We tried sending Bray Wyatt after her, but that seems to have done nothing. You're all more united then ever."

My jaw tensed.

So Wyatt's attack had been down to The Authority after all. Were they honestly that sleazy and vile that they'd use the loophole of sending someone else after me instead so that their hands remained clean? They were lower and more disgusting than I first thought.

"Get lost," Roman said. "Go home. You lost to a true team and you can't deal with that."

Triple H then began to laugh. "Like my beautiful wife said, we never lose. We always find a means to win. The Authority always has a Plan B."

What happened next felt as if it took place in slow-motion. The whole thing felt unreal, like a dream, like some sick scenario my imagination had decided to dream up to torture me.

I watched in astonishment as Seth raised the steel chair in his hands and hit Roman with it in the back, the Samoan dropping to the floor, writhing in pain, the sound of the impact echoing around the arena.

My stomach plummeted at the seriousness of Seth's actions, my eyes looking at him, his figure blurred from un-shed tears I didn't even know had appeared. "Seth?" I whispered.

Dean did the same, his face laced with shock and disbelief as he watched his brother lie painfully on the mat. Dean could hardly move and neither could I as I let what had just happened sink in.

This couldn't be real, could it? Seth had just attacked Roman out of nowhere and had now set his sights on Dean. This had to be make-believe; it had to be a dream.

He looked at me then, gazing at me deeply and his eyes said what his voice could not. I gasped as my eyes widened in terrible realization and I held my hand to my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

Oh god… he was… he was turning on us… Oh God… No…

Dean launched forward but not before Seth could hit him, knocking the chair from Dean's hands, the lunatic landing on it, screaming out as the steel hit his body. He hit him several times, alternating between Roman and Dean, The Authority's laughter a mere whisper through the sounds of a booing crowd and steel chairs hitting off my friend's broken bodies.

… _What?_

No.

He couldn't have…

No.

He was my friend…

It was impossible…

... No.

"W-What are y-you doing?" I said to Seth, struggling to find my voice, my heart beating so fast that it threatened to jump straight out of my chest. "Why?"

He stared at me for a while before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Maddie," he replied.

… _Oh god…_

I went numb…

I felt the bile rising in my throat and I released a broken sob as my legs gave way and I dropped to my knees. I'm sure my knees hurt from the impact, but I was too numb to feel it. He… he had betrayed us. He had turned on his brothers and joined the enemy. He did it all. I believed in him, I looked after him and cared for him this whole time, I'd given him my friendship just as Roman and Dean had given him theirs…

Seth was a monster…

"We agreed to never harm you," I faintly heard Steph say to me as The Authority took a step closer to the ring, my eyes unable to leave Dean's broken body. "But we said nothing about hurting The Shield."

The tears streamed down my face silently and I started to visibly shake as I glared at my so-called friend. After everything we had been through together, it had all ended like this.

So the meeting earlier had been nothing to do with Seth taking a holiday at all. They had been discussing and planning this the whole time. The sick bastard had known all night, probably all week that he was about to turn on us. I had never felt so much hatred in my heart for a person as I did right now.

Anger surged through my veins, flowing all over my body.

"Why?" I whispered through the tears. I was feeling lightheaded and I knew that I could faint at any moment, but I knew I had to stay conscious, if only to here his sick and pathetic excuses.

But he said nothing. He simply continued looking at me, betrayal and a hint of sadness in his eyes. I felt nothing but hatred for him. If he felt sad he should never have done this in the first place. He was evil, cruel, wrong. I never wanted to look at my sorry excuse for a friend again.

"Come, Seth," said Triple H.

Seth looked down at them then back to me, his eyes now blank.

 _Vile bastard…_

He gave me a sympathetic smile as he walked past me, heading for the steel steps.

"I'm sorry, Maddie," he had the nerve to say to me.

I just glared at him, having no sympathy towards that pathetic excuse for a man, showing my anger. "I hate you."

He winced at my words but didn't turn back, heading down to the floor, Triple H wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"Like we said," Hunter began. "We always win."

He gave me a sly smirk before they all turned their backs on us and began to walk away. I glared at the back of Seth's head before crawling as quickly as I could to my friends, needing to know if they were all okay. Roman had slowly begun to sit up, rubbing his back and cracking his aching bones. I could already see his skin beginning to turn red from the impact of the chair.

Dean, however, remained lying down, staring blankly up at the ceiling, tears silently falling down his cheeks. I stroked his hair sadly but he said nothing.

And I knew in that moment his heart was completely breaking.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to DeeMarie426, Crazychiksxxxx, Tantoune, SweetEnigma and calwitch for their words about the last chapter. Thank you all for the ongoing support and love for this story. I write this story for all you readers and I'm so glad you all still enjoy it.**


	33. Traitor

**Hello!**

 **Welcome back to Catch Your Breath. I hope you're all enjoying it so far. So, a pretty drama filled chapter last time, huh? Well this one isn't going to be any calmer! It's the aftermath of Seth's betrayal. Let's see what happens…**

 **This chapter is named after 'Traitor' by Daughtry**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

We all made our way to the hotel that night in complete silence, none of us knowing what to say to each other. The events of the evening had literally come out of nowhere, we were all totally lost by the entire thing, and there was no precedence for us to know how to act in such a situation.

I mean, what can you honestly do when you've been betrayed by the person who you thought was your best friend?

Nothing. That was the answer. Nothing, apart from let it sink in and wonder where it all went wrong.

I stared at Dean and Roman as we walked in a heavy silence through the hotel corridor, heading to our room. Whatever betrayal and sadness I was feeling was nothing compared to these guys.

The Shield had a bond. They were a brotherhood, three men united and bonded together through time and friendship. They had come up together, fought together, shared this entire experience just the three of them. I'd never seen three men so close and they were the personification and true identity of what it was like to be best friends.

I'd known Seth for a matter of months, Roman and Dean had been his brother for years.

But that was gone now, squashed and destroyed as if their years of friendship had been nothing. The way he looked at them, the way he hurt them, the way he found it so insanely easy to turn his back on them…

We'd had Seth Rollins wrong for so long now. This was the true man, and he was no brother.

He was a monster.

We reached our room and let ourselves inside. Roman switched on the light as Dean went to lie on our bed. I watched him, my heart filled with sadness and sorrow. I'd never seen him like this before. He seemed so lost, as if a part of him was missing.

And I suppose it was. I knew Dean hadn't had the best upbringing, and Seth had been one of the true friends he had in life, one of the few people he could trust and rely on. So to be deceived by the person you trust the most meant Dean had no clue what to do. Roman went into the bathroom so I took the opportunity to simply lie by Dean and show him I was there no matter what.

He immediately cuddled up to me, wrapping his arms around me and resting his head on my chest. I held him close, resting my chin on top of his head. He squeezed me and held me tighter than he'd ever held me before, almost as if he were afraid to let me go.

I sighed, hating the heartbreak he was feeling. I wanted to cry for him and take some of the pain away from him. I'd do anything see him stop being a silent shell of a man, one who hadn't spoken a single word since that steel chair had hit him in the back. But this had been the ultimate betrayal and I knew it would be a while before I could get my true Dean back.

"I'm not going anywhere," I reassured him as I realised he was squeezing me so tightly I was struggling to breathe. But I didn't care. He could squeeze me as tightly as he wanted if it made him feel better in any way.

I stroked his hair, my skin becoming wet from his silent tears.

"I never had the mother-fucker down as a traitor," he mumbled. "He played the game very fucking well. All this time and he decides to do this."

"We don't know when he made the decision," I tried. "It could have been months ago, weeks ago. It could have even been this morning. We don't know."

"You think you know somebody, you think you can trust them. Then they throw this fucking bullshit in your face," he said.

"It's going to be okay, Dean," I said, kissing the top of his head. "You have me and you have Roman. We're never leaving you."

He rolled onto his back, his eyes staring up at the ceiling. He didn't say a word, but I could see the sadness in his eyes slowly transforming into anger. "The bastard is going to pay for it, you know," he said. "He ain't getting away with that shit."

I sighed, hating this angry and stubborn side of Dean. I knew when the lunatic was coming out and he was already starting to show the signs.

"Dean," I tried.

"I'm gonna fuck him up, break every little bone in his pathetic fucking body," he said, teeth gritted. "I'm gonna destroy him and rip him to fucking pieces."

The last thing I wanted was for him to go full lunatic. In his indy days it was referred to as going full Moxley, and I never wanted that to happen. So I turned his head to look at me.

"I know tonight was hard, but you seriously need to think out your next move," I said. "Don't sink to his level and go full on violent and full on crazy. You won't thank yourself for it. You should get some sleep so what happened tonight can sink in, then you and Roman can discuss where to go from here with clear minds."

"She has a point," said Roman as he emerged from the bathroom. "I want that sorry piece of shit to pay for what he's done as much as you do. But the last thing we want is for you to spill so much blood that they kick your sorry ass out of this company."

"Roman is right," I said. "Sleep on it, and we'll think of a plan tomorrow."

The anger soon turned back to sadness and it destroyed me to see him like this. I hated it, I hated seeing him so broken and I knew I'd do anything within my power to fix him. And I knew the only way to do this was to confront Seth and get some answers.

Roman was too upset and Dean was too angry to do this. It'd either blow up in their faces or cause World War three. So I decided there and then to talk to Seth myself.

I'd wait until the boys were asleep then confront the bastard in person. He was in this hotel somewhere, he should be easy enough to find. I hated him with an absolute passion and he'd damaged my man. But I'd be calm and collected for Roman and Dean's sake. I'd get the answers we needed.

I'd find out the reasons for his betrayal.

It didn't take long for the opportunity to arise. The evening's events had taken their toll both emotionally and physically on the boys and they were soon fast asleep, dreaming of better things. So I snuck out of my bed, slipped on my shoes, put a room key in my pocket and headed out in search of the traitor.

I had absolutely no idea where he'd be, but I was certain The Authority would have organised to give him a posh and expensive suite to stay in. I was about to head down to reception to see if they knew where he was when I suddenly heard loud and thumping music coming from the floor above.

I frowned at the sound of the party so decided to investigate. After all, if anyone was going to be celebrating tonight, it was going to be him.

I took the stairs and arrived outside the door where the noise seemed to come from. The door was big and varnished and I could tell that an expensive room lay beyond it. So I tried my luck, knocking on the door, hoping he was in there.

At first nobody answered so I knocked again, hitting the door a little louder.

A laughing and happy Seth opened the door, his smile dropping as soon as he set eyes on me.

"M-Maddie," he said, surprise laced in his voice. "What are you… doing here?"

"May I come in?" I asked calmly. "Or are you busy?"

I looked over his shoulder and into the suite, seeing a full blown party taking place. The music was loud, the drinks were flowing and there seemed to be people and scantily clad girls everywhere. I looked back to Seth, the traitor running a nervous hand through his hair.

"I, uh, sure. I guess so," he said, standing aside. I stepped into the room, the music far too loud for my liking. He shut the door behind him. "Give me a second to clear the place and we can sit and talk."

"Good," I said without looking at him.

I watched the ring-rats running round after the men, everyone knocking drinks back in a disgusting fashion. Seth went over to the stereo and cut the music, much to everyone's annoyance. He somehow managed to calm them all and escort them from the room. After several minutes we were the only two that remained. The room was in disarray, empty glasses and bottles everywhere, but as long as I had chance to discuss everything that had happened tonight, I didn't care what the place looked like.

"Would you, uh, like a drink?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I said sternly. "I don't want anything you offer me."

He sighed and went to get himself a beer. "A simple no would have sufficed."

"I'm sure it would have," I said.

"So what do you want?" he asked, taking a swig from the glass bottle.

"Cut the bullshit," I said, disgust on my lips. "You know exactly what I want. I need you to explain what the fuck happened out there tonight. Why the fuck did you do all that? Are you crazy?"

"You need to relax and calm down," he replied.

"I need to relax?" I asked incredulously. "I'm not the one hitting Roman in the back with a chair. I'm not the one beating Dean down in front of the entire WWE Universe. I'm not the one turning on his brothers and joining the enemy we have fought so long to beat."

He shook his head, walking away from me. "I have my reasons for what I did. They're mine and mine alone; I don't need to explain them to any one."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? After the shit you pulled tonight, the one thing we all deserve is an explanation of your actions. You turned on us, Seth. After everything we've been through together, how can you honestly do this then not tell us why?"

He dropped into an arm chair, his fingers idly playing with the label on the beer bottle. He was silent for a time, his mind working to formulate an answer. Well I was more than happy to wait. There was no way in hell I was leaving until I had the facts and until I had his reasons. It's the least we all deserved.

He finally looked up at me. "I did what I did and that's the end of it. Sorry if that explanation isn't good enough for you."

My mouth hung agape, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion and disappointment. "So after everything that's the best you're willing to give me?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, standing up. "So you should go, you shouldn't even be here."

No, I wasn't going anywhere; I was standing my fucking ground. His explanation was pathetic.

"If you were brave enough to turn on us, you should at least have the balls to tell us why," I said angrily. "There are two friends upstairs that you have left behind whose hearts are breaking because their best friend betrayed them." I could feel tears building in my eyes as my voice got louder and angrier. "They trusted you, they put their faith and their time into you. And not only did you turn your back on them but you're too much of a chicken shit to tell them why! You're pathetic, Seth Rollins. You didn't deserve their friendship in the first place. Go to fucking hell, you worthless piece of shit!"

His fists clenched at his side, my words hitting home and completely resonating in his mind. So he looked up at me, his anger as strong as mine.

"They didn't deserve _my_ friendship!" he yelled. "Those two have been dragging me down for years, never really letting me get to my full potential. Triple H saw that in me. He's sees talent, he sees the way they pull me back and he's giving me the chance to rise to the fucking top. Something those two idiots would know nothing about."

A single tear slipped down my cheek as I shook my head. "So you betrayed them for a little power? You left your friends in order to get a shot at a title?"

"You're damn right I did," he said. "And I'd do it a thousand times over. They made me feel worthless, Leighla made me feel worthless, and The Authority are finally going to let me shine. They'll give me whatever title I want."

"You sold out, Seth," I said sadly.

"No, I brought in."

"At what price?" I asked. "Your friends? Your dignity? Your heart? Well I hope it was worth the fucking sacrifice. I hope you feel good about yourself."

"I feel better now than I have in weeks," he said, taking a slow step towards me. "Leighla… Dean… Roman… even you, Maddie. You've all contributed to this. I've felt worthless, like I'm nobody for weeks now. Finally I have the chance to rise to the top and make the most of myself."

"Me?" I asked in surprise. "I have been nothing but good to you. I've stood by you, supported you, took care of you after Leighla left you. I've been by your side the whole time, Seth."

"No you haven't," he said. "You've been too busy by Dean's side instead. The two of you, flaunting your fucking relationship in front of me knowing what I was going through, rubbing it in my face. It made me feel like shit, Maddie."

"No we didn't, Seth," I said, running a hand through my hair. "We remained at your side and helped you through the tough times."

"You rubbed it in my fucking face every time you were together," he accused.

"Even if we had, that's no reason to betray your friends. The blame is on you, not us."

"I hated seeing it," he continued. "Every day, you and him together, it drove me fucking insane."

"So that's why you left us? Because of a little jealousy and your need for a title? Well I hope you win your belt, Seth, because it's the only friend you'll have. No wonder Leighla left you."

I turned to leave but he suddenly grabbed my wrist, stopping me. He turned me round, rage in his eyes. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"I said, no wonder Leighla left you," I repeated. "If this is how you treat people I'm surprised she didn't walk out sooner."

"You pathetic little bitch," he growled.

"I'm not the pathetic one here, you are," I said calmly, wincing a little as his grip on my wrist. "I don't betray my friends and sell out. I stay loyal, I stay true, something you'd know nothing about."

"What right do you have to say that to me? You meant everything to me and now you have to nerve to shout this shit? How dare you! After everything I felt for you, after the complete desire I had for you, these words are just cementing my decision even more.."

Hang on…

Desire?

"Wait… what?" I asked in utter confusion.

"I had to see you with him every day, everything you did making me resent Dean and resent you, all because I couldn't resist you," he continued.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, not fully understanding his words.

"But you never saw me, you never gave me a chance. All you could see was him," he shouted. "You were weights that dragged me down. But now I'm free of The Shield and I'm free of Leighla. I owe none of them anything. I can pursue whatever and whoever I want. I hate Dean and I'm sure by now he hates me. So doing this won't hurt him anymore than the pain he's already feeling…"

"I don't under-" I began, but was quickly cut off as Seth pushed me up against the door and crashed his lips to mine.

What…

The…

Fuck…

What was he… doing?

What the hell was Seth doing?!

He was kissing me, that's what he was doing!

My body began to shake, my head unable to comprehend what was going on. His lips were attached to mine, moving in a sensual way, trying to get me to kiss back. It was one thing to deceive his brother in the ring, but to also kiss his girlfriend was the ultimate betrayal.

Why was he doing this? Why was he sinking so low as to hurt Dean further more? He couldn't have had feelings for me, he just couldn't have. I was his friend's girlfriend, he had a partner of his own, and he'd never once opened up about feeling anything for me.

Yet here he was, pressing against me, kissing me.

Within seconds my numb mind finally came back round and the situation dawned me. As quickly as I could I pulled away from him, raising my hand and slapping him harshly across the face.

"Are you fucking insane?!" I yelled. "What the hell was that?"

"Something I've wanted to do for weeks now," he replied. "I'm done with being nice with people. I'm finally branching out on my own and I'm having the things I want."

"You sick son-of-a-bitch," I shouted, unshed tears pooling in my eyes. He simply stared at me, his hand rubbing where I'd slapped him, not an ounce of guilt in his eyes. He wanted to do this, he wanted to kiss me, and he didn't care about the consequences.

I wanted to be sick, the very sight of him making me ill.

So I left.

I threw the door open and ran from his room, going as fast as my legs would carry me. I rushed to the elevator, pushing the button rapidly. It finally arrived and I stepped inside, the doors closing behind me.

Once I was alone I allowed the tears to fall and my emotions to come forward.

What had he done?

Why had he done it?

How the fuck was I supposed to tell Dean?

What was I going to do now?

* * *

 **A huge thanks to Tantoune, Crazychiksxxxx, Hollarious969 and calwitch for their kind words about the last chapter.**

 **Please remember to review, guys. I love hearing your feedback and it only takes a few seconds to pop some words into that little review box. I'd appreciate it so much.**

 **Also my newest story will be going live next week. It's a Shield based story again, focusing on Rollins this time round. So keep your eyes peeled for that. It's gonna be good.**


	34. Bad Blood

**Hello, you lovely lot.**

 **We are sadly drawing near to the end of this particular part of Dean and Maddie's tale, and the end of 'Catch Your Breath.' *Insert frowny face* But don't worry, I am already planning the sequel to this story so it's not the complete end. Just the end for now. I have so much more planned for Dean and Maddie yet! The sequel will be up in a month or so, so keep your eyes peeled for it.**

 **But we haven't reached the end yet, there's still much to happen. So let's get on with it!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Bad Blood' by Taylor Swift**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

We walked into the arena the following Monday, ready for Raw and ready to confront Seth Rollins head on about his apparent heel turn.

It had already been a week since the traitor had revealed his true colours, and we'd had many ups and downs since then.

Between us, Roman and I had thankfully managed to calm Dean down to the point where he didn't want to sneak into the bastard's hotel room at night and castrate him for what he'd done. We had got Dean to the point where he was angry yet calm, and was willing to settle it in the ring rather than do something which could see him locked up for a very long time.

Roman had grown to accept what Seth had done, and even though he too wanted revenge for his actions, he was not as hot headed as Dean. His calmness had managed to even Dean out to the point where he was happy to fight rather than use damaging violence.

And this was exactly why I was yet to tell Dean about Seth's kiss…

How could I?

Dean had been a wreck all week, Seth's betrayal having seriously affected him. If he wasn't flying off the handle and punching walls angrily, he was sitting alone and shedding tears when he thought no one was looking.

He had been so up and down, Seth's betrayal having hurt him more than any of us had realised. So putting something else like the bastard kissing his girlfriend on top of the hurt he was already feeling would utterly destroy Dean.

I was scared to tell him, I was scared of the repercussions, I was scared Dean would do something he'd regret. And I'd never want that. He was a good man, the man I loved, the best man I knew. And if he did something so terrible that it would end up in time behind bars, he'd never recover.

It'd be the end of him and I was never going to let that happen.

So I kept quiet, I said nothing, if only to spare him even more hurt and sorrow due to that dirty fucking traitor.

Bray Wyatt's words rang in my head…

 _I sense fear in you, Miss Ziggler. A fear that constantly eats you up. You are right to have that fear. Absorb it, use it, never lose it. Because it is all you will have. Bad things are coming for you, terrible things. It'll come from those far from you, but mainly those close to you. And when these things happen, all you will have is that fear…_

How little did I know at the time that these words would affect me and guide me so much.

He had been right. I did have fear, I had it by the bucket load. And it was fear that was controlling my decisions right now.

"You okay?" I asked him as we stood in the corridor at the top of the staircase, awaiting our cue to walk down to the ring. Roman had popped to the bathroom and we had time yet before we were due out into the ring.

"Just wanna get this over and done with," he said, bouncing on his toes. I could sense how on edge he was, how uncomfortable he was about the situation. Dean oozed charisma and confidence, but I knew deep down he was terrified, that he felt highly uncomfortable.

I sighed, walking up to him and taking his hand in mine. "Do you know what you're going to say to him?"

He stopped bouncing, squeezing my hand in his. "Yeah, I've got a good idea of the words I wanna say. Shame Raw has a fucking PG rating, huh?" He gave a tiny smirk and I saw a glimpse of the old carefree Dean, the Dean who hadn't been heartbroken by his brother.

"I can imagine what you wanna say," I laughed lightly, snaking my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest. I felt him hug me back, holding me too him. I closed my eyes, listening to the calming sound of his heartbeat. "Just don't say or do anything too crazy, okay? I don't want to be bailing you out of prison tomorrow morning."

He kissed the top of my head. "I won't do anything that extravagant. He's not worth that."

"How you holding up?" I asked in all seriousness, moving my head to look up at him, brushing his brown fluffy hair out of his eyes.

"I'd be lying if I said I was okay," he said honestly. "This will be the first time I've seen him since it all happened."

"I know," I sighed. "And I know it's going to be hard, but Roman and I will be right by your side throughout the whole thing."

"I know, baby," he said, smiling warmly down at me. He kissed my forehead before lowering his lips to mine, kissing me softly and delicately, his lips moving in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Every kiss Dean gave me caused my breath to catch in my throat. He just had this crazy affect on me that caused my body to turn to mush. He finally pulled away and rested his forehead on mine. "Never leave me, okay?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Never."

He kissed my forehead one more time as Roman finally showed up and we went to the door to await our entrance.

xXx

It was strange walking down the staircase one man down. It had always been the three of them and then the four of us. Having Seth not with us felt odd, like we were missing a limb. There was a massive gap where he should be, and believe me, we seriously felt it.

Even after the whole kiss incident in the hotel room, I still couldn't help but miss him. Our team felt incomplete and broken. But this was the hand we had been dealt, this was the way things were now. He was gone, The Shield was no longer whole, and this is how it would be from here on out.

We all jumped over the barricade and entered the ring, the crowd cheering us wildly despite what had happened the week before. Our music played on but Dean and Roman weren't nearly as animated as they normally were. They were about to address the WWE Universe, they were about to address the traitor, they were about to address the entire world.

They'd have to finally confront and comment on what happened and I knew this would not be easy.

The music finally died and both Roman and Dean were handed microphones. I stood by the back left turnbuckle and simply allowed them to speak.

"Only two weeks ago, The Shield were a pillar of strength, of power, of unity," Roman began, Dean standing stock still in the centre of the ring as the Samoan paced. Dean's face was dark and heated, filled with anger. "We were the team to beat, the team Evolution couldn't beat. We were the greatest strength WWE had to offer."

"But little did we know this united front was soon to crumble and fall," continued Dean. "Some of us were not as loyal as others, and only last week did we discover a parasite lay within us, a tumour willing to destroy us from within. Someone who we trusted ended up being not so trustworthy. And that disgusting little parasite was… Seth… Rollins."

The crowd began to boo heavily at his name. Dean's fist clenched at his side and Roman began to pace with more urgency as his anger rose, but I simply took a deep breath and allowed them to carry on. He had been their brother and their best friend. They needed to get all their emotions out.

"A back stabber," Roman said.

"A traitor," said Dean.

"A filthy little sell-out," Roman added.

"A man who would betray his friends for the enemy. A piece of crap who would give up everything he had to join The Authority," Dean finished. The crowd booed even more, hating Seth as much as we did. "Now, I don't know about you, Roman, but I don't take too kindly to that."

"No, I don't, brother," Roman said.

"I'm a loyal man, a good man, one who doesn't throw his friends under the bus for a shot at the gold." Dean was getting more and more worked up. "I love my friends, I'm faithful to my brothers, I'd never sell out like that disgusting piece of scum I called a team mate."

The crowd cheered, once again agreeing with the hounds.

"Because that's what you are, Seth," said Roman. "Dirty… filthy… scum."

Dean then turned to the stage. "So hurry up and come out here, Seth. Come out sprouting all the lies I know you're gonna tell, all the bullshit you're gonna say to try and legitimize what you've done. Come out so you can talk crap, and I can reply with my fists!"

He threw the microphone to the ground, the crowd cheering, Roman smirking. The Samoan rested back on the ropes, Dean in the middle of the ring, bouncing on his feet, all three of us looking to see whether Seth would actually come out.

Seconds seemed like hours, but music finally sounded around the arena, music we'd never heard before and then finally he emerged.

He looked pleased with himself, his demeanor smug, all dressed in a smart black suit and black shirt, his hair tied back. I wanted to vomit in my mouth at the mere sight of him, hating him for everything he'd done to the guys and everything he'd done to me. He was a vile man, a piece of shit, someone who never deserved our friendship in the first place.

He slowly walked down the ramp to the ring and I could see Dean getting more and more angry. Not wanting the lunatic to come out, I stood in front of him so he could not press forward. Sensing my worry, Roman came to stand beside him, prepared to hold Dean back if needed.

Seth grabbed a microphone, climbed the steel steps and slipped into the ring, a huge grin on his face.

The music eventually died, only to be replaced with chants of 'You sold out' by the crowd, a chant which amused Dean and Roman. Seth simply ignored it.

"That was a lovely little speech you gave there, guys," he began. "Very well written. I expect an Oscar for you guys through the post any day now."

I heard Dean growl but I stood firmly in front of him, not letting him lash out.

"Though I have to admit, it was a tad over dramatic. Back stabber? Traitor? Sell out? I mean, what's the big deal? I did what was best for business. I did what was best for me. And if you two can't handle that I'm the breakout star of The Shield and by far the better wrestler, well that's not my fault."

Roman took an angry step forward then and I struggled as I stood in front of both of them. I knew they wanted a fight, but from the look on their faces, this would be a bloodbath if I let them loose on Seth.

"Calm down, guys," I whispered softly to them.

"I mean The Shield were good," Seth continued. "We beat everyone and rose straight to the top. We conquered the entire roster and I created a team that no one could beat… apart from one person. Me. And that's exactly what I've done. I've beaten the unbeatable, I've given myself the opportunity to fly on my own. I've dropped the dead weight holding me back and now Seth Rollins is going to be the best there has ever been."

"Don't rise to it," I warned my friends.

"And I clearly made the right choice. Look at you, what do you have now I've gone? Nothing, that's what. Roman is your powerhouse, a golden boy who even The Authority didn't want. Dean is a lunatic who is not only unstable but who cried like a little girl when he lost his little friend. And where exactly is your architect, your leader? Perhaps Maddie? Ha! No, Maddie is just a pretty little face to bring the fan-boys in."

He gently lifted a hand to stroke my cheek and Dean flipped. With the anger on his face I knew there was no way I was holding him back this time.

He quickly squared up to Seth, both men standing face to face until their noses were touching. Their jaws were tense, both of them on edge.

"Touch her one more time and I'll knock your fucking teeth out," Dean warned, loud enough so only us in the ring could hear.

"Sit down, little boy," Seth smirked. "Sit down."

"Dean," I tried.

Roman pulled Dean away, something I was highly thankful for. Upon this, Seth began to laugh. He lifted the microphone to his lips again

"That's it. Pull him away. The little idiot can't do anything without the big buffoon getting involved."

This caused Roman to stop stock still and glare down at Seth. Then, with one fluid movement, he launched a Superman punch into the jaw of the traitor, knocking him straight to the floor. The crowd erupted with cheers, Seth rubbing his now aching jaw. Dean picked up the dropped microphone and stared down at his former team mate.

"How's the view down there?" he asked with a smirk. "Be careful when you get up, that jaw of yours is looking a little red and swollen." Seth simply glared at him. "You're pretty good, Seth, coming out here and spouting all these words and threats and lies. But words mean very little in the WWE. Here we fight with our fists, and that's just what I want. A fight."

I frowned, looking at him with furrowed eyebrows. Dean was surprisingly calm and composed and tranquil. To an outsider it would seem Dean was no longer angry, but I knew better than that. He was a lunatic, and seeing him like this meant he was more dangerous and sinister than ever.

"What are you talking about?" Seth asked from his spot on the floor.

"It's simple. I want a match at Night Of Champions. Me vs. you. Not only will it prove what an utter piece of scum you are, but it gives me the opportunity to tare you to pieces… That is unless the great and amazing Seth Rollins is too scared to take me on."

I looked at Roman and Roman looked at me, both of us knowing that this was not only something Dean needed, but was the calmest and safest way for Dean to take his frustrations out on Seth. A match in a wrestling ring was far better than the lunatic cornering the traitor one night in an alleyway and beating the living daylights out of him.

"So what do you say, oh great one?" asked Dean.

Seth looked up at him, knowing he really had no choice. He wouldn't want to seem like a coward in front of the WWE Universe, and The Authority would be all for a match between two Shield members. It would bring in big money and would be a ratings winner. Whichever way he looked at it, there was no escape.

So Seth nodded with annoyance. "Fine. Deal."

"Good," Dean smirked. "Can't wait to rip you limb from limb." And with that he dropped microphone on Seth's head, hurting the traitor even more, and led Roman and I from the ring.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to Tantoune and Crazychiksxxx for their kind words about the last chapter.**

 **I was so sad to see so few reviews for the last few chapters. It's very disheartening when I put so much time and effort and thought into my chapters yet get very little back in the way of response and feedback from my readers.**

 **I know some of you always review and I thank you guys so damn much for your regular feedback. It's always appreciated.**

 **I don't want to be** _ **that**_ **writer who begs for reviews, but if my lovely readers could honestly find the time to pop a few words into that review box just so I could know how you all liked/disliked/enjoyed the chapter then I'd appreciate it so much. Chapters can take days for me to write, a review can only take a few seconds. Thanks, everyone.**

 **Much love to you all.**


	35. Fighter

**Hello, lovely readers.**

 **Time for the big fight! We have one more chapter left to go after this one. But do not fear, the sequel is already being planned**

 **This chapter is named after 'Fighter' by Christina Aguilera.**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

The closer we got to Night Of Champions, the more my anxiety rose each and every day. The nerves got worse, the fear built, and I was genuinely terrified for Dean. Night Of Champions was his match against his ex-best friend, and I feared greatly about the aftermath.

Don't get me wrong, I had the utmost faith in Dean to win the match. He was so talented and strong, and I knew he could easily beat Seth were it a simple one on one match, which theirs should be.

But deep down in my heart I knew it wouldn't be. Whilst on paper it was one on one, Seth was now a member of The Authority, and they never did anything by halves. Whilst they could do nothing to me, they had not kept secret how happy they were to upset Dean and Roman.

There was no doubt to me they would find a way to get involved somehow if Seth was beginning to lose.

There was no way in hell they were going to let their little poster boy lose this and not come out on top. There was no real way Dean could win this and that's what scared me.

Because if Dean didn't win, he'd beat himself up for weeks about it.

After everything Seth had put him through, Dean wanted revenge and he wanted retribution. He wanted to win because he deserved it and it's what was right in the grand scheme of things. Seth had done wrong and he deserved his comeuppance in the form of Dean defeating him in the ring.

So if Seth won their match and Dean didn't, where was the fairness in that? He would have been screwed over twice and the lunatic never took kindly to that.

So Dean winning was a must, but if Seth had The Authority's backup, I couldn't see how that would happen.

Dean, on the other hand, was far more relaxed than I was. He and Roman had been discussing tactics and strategies for weeks now. They knew Seth so well, every strength and every weakness. They had trained together for years and knew exactly how he worked. So they knew they could easily find a way to win.

They seemed confident and positive that Seth would lose. But after all the shit The Authority had put us through, I knew there was no way we could count them out of this fight.

However that wasn't the only thing on my mind, Seth's kiss still constantly cropping up in my thoughts, my guilt laying heavier in my heart as each day passed where I didn't tell Dean the truth. This match only made this worse. Dean now had even more on his plate to deal with, there was certainly no way the kiss could come out now. I hated myself for lying but I knew I was doing it to protect the man I loved.

We were both alone in our hotel room on Saturday evening, Roman having gone down to the gym. Dean seemed quite relaxed, lounging on the bed watching some football game that was on. I on the other hand was nervously sat on the floor, packing our clothes as we were moving onto a new city tomorrow. My anxiety must have been pretty easy to detect as when I looked up from my suitcase, I saw Dean staring down at me, a look of concern in his eyes. I ignored it, continuing to do my chore.

"Talk to me, Maddie," he said.

"I'm fine," I lied, moving my jeans and laying them at the bottom of my case. "Just trying to sort these clothes out."

"You know I can very easily tell when you're lying, right?" he said. I heard him move on the bed until he was sitting on the edge of the mattress in front of me.

I sighed, putting the clothes in my hands down. "I don't know how you can be so calm, especially with the match you'll be fighting tomorrow."

He nodded in understanding. "I'm calm because I know this is a match I can win."

"But how do you know that?" I asked him, looking squarely in his eyes. "Considering who your opponent is, how can you be certain?"

"Because of that exact reason," he replied. "I know exactly who my opponent is. I know everything about him. His strengths, his weaknesses, his move-set, how he walks the ring. There can be no surprises."

"But it's Seth," I said sadly, getting up from my spot on the floor and coming to sit beside him on the bed. "Does it not phase you that you're fighting the man who was once your best friend?"

"No, it just spurs me on," he said, brushing a lose piece of hair from my face. "Seth screwed me over, sweetheart. He screwed my brother over too, but most of all he screwed you over." I began to panic that he was referring to the kiss, but his next sentence put me at ease. "When he walked out, he walked out on all three of us, and I'm not standing for that. I'm not upset anymore, Maddie. I'm angry, I'm pissed, I'm seething. And because of that I'm ready for a fight."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "He's not Seth Rollins, member of The Shield anymore. He's Seth Rollins, Authority fuck boy. I see him purely as an enemy now."

"But that's my worry," I said sadly. "You have this confidence, but surely you have to realise The Authority are going to get involved."

"They probably are," he said calmly. "But I have back-up too. I have Roman and I friends in the back. I'm calm, Maddie. Whichever way this fight goes, whether I come out the winner or he does, I'm gonna totally beat the shit out of Seth Rollins. If the ref raises his arm as the victor, that arm is going to be broken and battered and bruised. I'm not letting him leave that ring until I've destroyed the living daylights out of him."

I looked into those baby blue eyes of his and saw the confidence and self-belief he had, and I knew I had to trust his judgement. If Dean thought he could win, then I had to believe he could as well. I was his girlfriend and I had to support any decisions he made. So that's what I did.

"Just don't kill him okay?" I smiled. "Death is too quick and easy."

He chuckled, placing a finger under my chin. "Nah, I plan to have my fun with that bastard."

"Good," I said.

"Though it's cute when you're all concerned about me. I like it," he replied, causing me to blush profusely.

"I can't help it," I whispered, biting my lip. "I worry about you."

He brushed his nose against mine. "Well it's adorable," he said before pressing his lips to mine and gently lowering me onto the bed.

xXx

Sunday soon rolled round and we had taken our usual spot on top of the staircase. It was just Dean and I as Roman and myself were not to be at ringside. I had simply come up to wish him luck and send him on his way. The match before Dean's was still playing out and Dean was doing stretches to warm himself up.

I watched him, seeing on his face the excitement this match held for him. He was ready for this, I could tell.

I approached him once he'd finished his stretches, the lunatic bouncing eagerly on his feet.

"You ready for this?" I asked, my arms folded.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. "Ready for some revenge."

"I bet you are," I laughed lightly as he wrapped his arms around me. I rested my hands on his strong chest.

"Will you come out to celebrate with me when I win?" he asked with a smirk.

"They won't be able to stop me running out to that ring," I smiled, kissing his lips lightly.

"Mmmm," he hummed. "Wanna do that again?"

I smirked, kissing his lips again. Only he met me half way this time, kissing me with more force and passion.

He pulled away, brushing my hair from my face. "Who'd have thought all those months ago when I met you in that elevator that we'd be here together now?"

I cast my mind back to the day we'd met, the day where my stupid suitcase had been stuck in the elevator and The Shield had helped me out. They had been so cold then, so harsh and silent. But now here we were, together forever.

"I wouldn't change it for the world," I smiled, looking up at the man I loved, feeling so much adoration in my heart for him.

I'd known for a while now what my true feelings were but I'd yet to say them out-loud to him. We'd been so busy lately, our minds elsewhere that the words 'I love you' had yet to leave my lips. But I did love him. I loved him with all my heart and soul. And I always would.

"It's been the best time of my life," he smiled, his face alight with joy and happiness. "And now I'm gonna top it off with a win tonight."

"I believe in you, sweetheart," I said, running my fingers through his soft but wet hair.

"I'll win this for you," he said to me. "You're the one who's gotten me through all this, and I plan to win and beat this in return."

"You're amazing, Dean Ambrose," I said, giving him a soft and quick kiss. "So amazing."

I heard Dean's match being announced and knew now was his time to go. So I sadly let him go.

"Let's do this," he grinned, starting to walk to the door of the staircase.

"Wait," I said quickly.

He turned to look at me. "What?"

I looked at him, taking him in, my heart pounding wildly. "I love you…"

He froze, his eyes widening. "What…?"

"I love you," I smiled. "So damn much."

"Maddie… I…"

"So go out there and show them what you can do."

He barely had time to reply or respond, his music beginning to sound. So as he made his way to the door, I rushed downstairs to the canteen, sitting with all the other Superstars and Divas watching on the big TV.

xXx

I winced as Seth threw Dean from the top rope, the lunatic landing with a thud. I saw him writhe in pain but it didn't take him long to be back up on his feet.

The match had been on for a while now, no outright winner being shown. It had been very back and forth, Seth winning then Dean winning and so on. I watched as Seth hit Dean with a drop kick, the lunatic falling through the ropes, but not before he could grab them and launch back into the ring. He hit Seth with a clothes-line, Dean's enemy falling to the floor.

My hands were shaking with nerves, not quite knowing which way the match was going to go. I felt a hand grab mine and looked down to see it was Roman's.

"It's okay, baby girl," he smiled sweetly. "Have faith in him."

"I do," I smiled. "I know he can do it."

I held Roman's hand as the fight continued, no Authority interference having happened yet. I knew they would show before long, especially as Dean was now offering some offence and had taken control of the match. Whilst Dean had remained in his Shield gear, it was odd to see Seth wearing something else. He had opted to go shirtless, wearing black pants with gold lining. He'd even come out at the start of the match with brand new entrance music. He had already lost the essence of The Shield.

He was now a completely different person, an utter stranger to us.

The fight continued, the crowd roaring as they enjoyed the fight, Dean's offence coming out on top. It was easy to see Seth weakening, my heart pounding with nerves and joy as Dean grabbed him and prepared to hit him with Dirty Deeds…

Until the crowd booing indicated that Triple H, Kane and Randy Orton were heading down the ramp towards the ring.

"No…" I whispered. I knew this would fucking happen. The Authority could never leave well alone and let things simply play out as they should. If things weren't going their way, they'd always make sure they could change that.

And now they were going to assure Dean would lose.

All of a sudden Roman let go of my hand and bolted from the room. I knew where he was heading – his brother needed help. But what surprised me the most was when I saw my brother and John Cena follow him.

I frowned, my eyebrows furrowed as I looked back at the TV screen, wondering what the hell was happening. The Authority had stopped their walking and were stood by the ring, ready to climb in… but not before Roman, Dolph and John could block their path.

My smile widened, seeing the back-up plan Dean had told me about. Roman would always fight for his brother, Dolph would fight as he knew how important Dean was to me, and no doubt Nikki had sent John out in Dean's defence.

The odds had evened out and Seth's advantage had been taken away. A small relieved laugh left my lips at all this.

Far too distracted by what was taking place outside the ring, Seth was too slow to react to what was happening within. Catching him off guard, Dean grabbed Seth and finally hit him with Dirty Deeds. Seth dropped to the floor and the lunatic went in for the cover, the ref hitting the mat 1-2-3.

The arena went wild as the bell rung and Dean's arm was lifted in victory.

The canteen became filled with applause and cheers, all the Superstars and Divas rather pleased with the outcome. I barely had time to see The Authority grab Seth from the ring on the TV screen. I ran from my seat, heading for the ring as fast as my legs would carry me. I ran straight past the three men carrying a sorrowful looking Seth and ran down the ramp and up into the ring, launching myself into Dean's arms.

He caught me, holding me tight, twirling me round as The Shield's theme played. Roman, Dolph and John patted him on the back as he held me, hugging me as close to him as possible.

He'd done it, he'd actually done it. He'd defeated Seth, he'd shown The Authority that he was stronger than they thought, but most of all he'd shown the WWE Universe that just because The Shield had been broken did not mean they were beaten. Yes Seth was gone, but Dean and Roman remained, and they were stronger and more united than ever. They had been knocked down but had certainly got back up again.

He pulled away to look at my face, his arms still around my waist, his smile bigger than I'd seen in weeks.

"You actually did it?" I said, the loud music meaning only he could hear me.

"Did you doubt me, Miss Ziggler?" he teased with a smug grin.

I smirked. "Nah, I always had faith."

"Sure you did," he winked. "Oh, and for the record… I love you too."

"Y-You do?" I asked.

"With all my heart, sweetheart."

At that point I didn't care where we were or who was watching. I didn't care that the WWE Universe had never seen us together romantically or that our relationship to them had simply been hearsay and rumour up to now. They could find out for all I cared, because as soon as those words left his mouth, a pressed my lips to his and kissed him with every ounce of passion I had.

He had won.

He had told me he loved me.

He had proven that through everything, he could not be broken.

Dean and I were on top of the world right now, and that's where we would remain.

* * *

 **A huge thanks to Tantoune, Clara, lozzy g, Hollarious969, Crazychiksxxxx and my guest reviewer for their lovely reviews about the last chapter.**

 **One more chapter left to go, guys!**


	36. Marry You

**Hello, lovely readers!**

 **A huge thanks to Lilygirl95, Tantoune, Craztchiksxxxx and my guest reviewer for their lovely reviews.**

 **Epilogue time!**

 **This chapter is named after 'Marry You' by Bruno Mars**

* * *

Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View

After the magic that was Dean's victory against Seth, we'd both decided to take a few days away from the WWE for ourselves. Dean deserved it after his amazing win and we were eager to spend a few days just the two of us. So whilst he was booked for a few live shows, Dolph had given us the keys to his Florida home, letting us spend some time there by ourselves.

I loved Dolph's home. It was so sleek and cosy and beautiful. Plus the view of the ocean nearby was to die for. It had been the setting for my birthday party only a few months earlier and it was good to finally be back there again.

We needed this time alone, especially after all the months we'd spent on the road and all the drama that had followed us along the way.

Before joining my brother, my life had been rather boring and monotonous really. Not a lot happened and I was constantly studying for school. But joining the company and travelling around the country had given me a new lease on life with something happening every day. Meeting Dean, hating Dean, being friends with Dean, kissing Dean, falling in love with Dean... My relationship with my favourite little lunatic had been so up and down and had certainly kept me on my toes. And that was only half of what had happened to me!

Being Dolph's valet, being The Shield's valet, making an enemy of Orton, The Authority attacking me, the Wyatts picking on us, Seth turning on us, Seth kissing me, Dean finally defeating him in the ring. I'd had more drama in the months that I'd been with WWE than I'd had in all the 23 years of my life.

But I'd never trade any of it for another life. This was how I lived now, these were the things I did. And I wouldn't be where I was right now if none of those things had happened. Some of them had been desperately sad and terrible, but some of the things had made me feel alive and caused me to be the happiest girl on the planet.

Yes I'd made enemies, and yes I'd lost a true friend along the way. But I'd gained new ones, reconnected with old ones, bonded with my brother like never before, but most of all had found the love of my life.

And he was most definitely that. I loved him with all my heart and being, and I knew now that he loved me too. There was no one like Dean, he was a once in a lifetime find. He kept me on my toes, made me laugh, kept that smile permanently on my face. My heart was well and truly his and I wanted to be with him till the day I died.

He'd changed my life for the better, he made me feel loved and wanted, he gave me a purpose and a meaning. I could never be without that gorgeous man and I knew he was mine forever. Nothing could tare us apart, it was just him and I against the world, and that's how it would stay.

And these days alone had been fantastic. We'd been to the beach, eaten delicious dinners at the best restaurants, been shopping, and had a lot of sex in Dolph's spare room.

I'd left him inside to take a shower whilst I sat in my favourite spot under the tree in Dolph's garden, watching the sunset. I'd done this after my party and I was doing it now, knowing it was the best view in the world, watching the sun sink below the horizon. It calmed me and eased me. So I relaxed, resting my back against the warm bark of the tree, taking in the sight.

"Hey, what you doing out here?" I heard a voice from behind me.

I turned my head to see him making his way over, his hair fluffy yet still slightly damp. He wore lose grey leisure pants and a tight black t-shirt, the sort that clung to his body and showed off every muscle and curve his body had. He looked delicious.

"Just watching the sunset," I smiled as he joined me, sitting at my side. "This is the best view in Florida. I love coming out this time of day and watching the sun go down."

He smiled to himself. "I remember you saying that the last time we were here. And it still rings true – that view is fucking beautiful."

I blushed, suddenly remembering where we were and what had happened the last time Dean and I were beneath this tree…

"Nothing like resting by this tree and watching it," I said quietly.

He looked to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me to him until I rested against him. "Remember what happened last time we were here, sweetheart?"

I looked up at him. "How can I forget? That moment changed my life."

"Mine too," he said. "It took all the courage I had to kiss you that day, but it was the best thing I ever did." He kissed my temple, holding me tighter.

"Mmmm," I smiled to myself, loving his warmth, moving to look back at the sunset. "You were worth the wait."

He placed a finger under my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. "No, you were, Maddie. You showed me what it was like to love and to be in love. No one has ever cared for me the way you have, and you finally showed me that I'm worth something, that people out there give a fuck about me."

"Of course I do," I smiled, stroking his cheek with my thumb, my heart swelling with adoration. "Dean, you're my entire world, and I love you to the ends of the Earth and back."

He smiled, lightly kissing my lips. "The day I kissed you changed everything for the better. No more hiding, no more loving you from afar. I could finally be with you, finally hold your hand, finally kiss you and touch you. It was amazing."

"It was," I smiled.

"Which is why I find it so fitting that we're sitting in the exact spot where we kissed."

"Why's that?" I asked curiously.

"Because it's the perfect place to do this."

He reached into his pants pocket, fumbled about and pulled out a red velvet box.

 _Surely he isn't..._

My eyes widened as a lump formed in my throat, my heart pounding nervously as he opened it to reveal the most stunning and beautiful diamond ring I'd ever laid eyes on. He re-positioned himself until he was down on one knee in front of me.

 _Holy shit…_

"D-Dean…" I whispered, my mouth dry, my breath short.

"Madeleine Louise Ziggler," he began. "You have, without a doubt, made me the happiest man alive. My life was a pretty dark place until you shone light into it, and I want to thank you for the rest of my life for doing that. Each day with you is a new adventure, and I want to spend all my days with you. I love you so much, and I know I can never let you go. Be with me forever, Maddie. Promise me you'll be mine and make me the happiest guy on the planet."

"Dean…" I said again, tears filling in my eyes.

"Will you marry me?" he asked. "Please…"

I didn't have to think twice. I practically launched myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him to me as my happiness was unleashed.

"Yes," I replied. "Of course I will. A thousand percent yes."

He hugged me back, picking me up and twirling me round. He finally put me down on my feet, kissing across my face, my giggles and laughs filling the evening air. Pulling the ring out of the box, he slipped it onto my finger, the gold band fitting it perfectly.

"I love you, Maddie," he grinned, wiping away my falling tears of joy.

"I love you too, Dean," I smiled as he leaned down to kiss me again.

And with that it was like my life fell into place, like all was well with the world. I had everything I needed. A great job, fantastic friends, and the most handsome, loving and caring fiancé a girl could ever ask for.

He was my life.

He was my love.

He was my unstable and insane little lunatic.

But most of all, he was mine.

And that's all I'd ever wanted.

* * *

 **And that's all folks! Well… for now at least. Whilst this is the end of Catch Your Breath, I already have a sequel planned. The original intention was for it all to be part of this story, but I didn't want it to go on for too long or for me to get too bored of writing the same thing. So I've split it and I've decided to turn part 2 of Maddie and Dean's story into a sequel.**

 **I have two other stories that I'm planning, one of which will be going up in the next few days, so it'll be a month or so before the sequel is out. I have lots planned for it and it's gonna be good. I'm not finished with Dean and Maddie yet!**

 **Remember to favourite and review, and also to put me on alert for when the new stories come out. My newest one, a Seth Rollins focused story will be out in the next few days.**

 **Till next time, lovely readers…**

 **Rachydoodle xxxx**


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